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Newcastle name team after the lifting of French travel restrictions

(Photo by PA)

Newcastle have named their team for Friday night’s European Challenge Cup match at Biarritz after the lifting of travel restrictions was announced by French tourism minister Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne which will take effect from the morning of the game.

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With four UK clubs due to play French teams this weekend, there was concern over the stipulation that travelling teams would be required to undergo a 48-hour quarantine pre-game and take in a round of PCR testing in France where a positive outcome could result in players/staff having to spend ten days in insolation rather than be allowed to return home.

However, the latest developments will ensure that travellers from the UK who are fully vaccinated will be allowed to enter France if they have evidence of a negative coronavirus test taken within 24 hours of departure, while a requirement to isolate on arrival will be scrapped.

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Francois Hougaard guests on RugbyPass Offload

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Francois Hougaard guests on RugbyPass Offload

This has given the green light for Bath, Sale, Scarlets and Newcastle to travel to La Rochelle, Clermont, Bordeaux and Biarritz for their respective Champions and Challenge Cup matches, but official confirmation is still awaited from tournament organisers EPCR.

It brings an end to a week of confusion that threatened to further damage the credibility of the European tournaments which last month suffered from a multitude of called off matches. Newcastle, who are the first of the UK quartet in action in France, plan to fly out on Friday morning and they have now pressed ahead with their team announcement as scheduled. 

Ex-England full-back Mike Brown will captain a side showing eleven changes from the one which started last Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership defeat at home to Northampton, with Pete Lucock and George Wacokecoke coming into the centres and Adam Radwan returning on the wing.

With the Falcons looking for their fifth successive away victory in Challenge Cup pool action, Brett Connon and Sam Stuart form the half-back partnership. Adam Brocklebank and Mark Tampin Jamie join Blamire in a freshened-up front row, with Rob Farrar coming in at lock in front of a back row which sees call-ups for Gary Graham, Connor Collett and Callum Chick.

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Prop Conrad Cade will make his first-team debut if he comes on from the bench, with the loosehead having spent much of this season at Championship side Doncaster Knights.

NEWCASTLE (vs Biarritz, Friday)
15. Mike Brown (capt); 14. Adam Radwan, 13. George Wacokecoke, 12. Pete Lucock, 11. Nathan Earle; 10. Brett Connon, 9. Sam Stuart; 1. Adam Brocklebank, 2. Jamie Blamire, 3. Mark Tampin, 4. Greg Peterson, 5. Rob Farrar, 6. Gary Graham, 7. Connor Collett, 8. Callum Chick. Reps: 16. George McGuigan, 17. Conrad Cade, 18. Logovi’i Mulipola, 19. Will Montgomery, 20. Josh Basham, 21. Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, 22. Will Haydon-Wood, 23. Luther Burrell.

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AM 41 minutes ago
'Freelancer' Izaia Perese shows the need for true inclusivity in Australian rugby

That's Cron's job though. Australia has had one of the most penalised scrums in international rugby for a long time. Just look at the scrum win loss percentage and scrum penalties. That is your evidence. AA has been the starter during that period. Pretty simple analysis. That Australia has had a poor scrum for a long time is hardly news. If bell and thor are not on the field they are woeful. So you are just plain wrong. They have very little time for the lions so doing the same old things that dont work is not going to get them there.


Ainsley is better than our next best tighthead options and has been playing well at scrum time for Lyon in the most competitive comp in the world. Superstar player? No. But better than the next best options. So that is a good enough guide. The scrummaging in the Prem is pretty good too so there is Sio's proof. Same analysis for him. Certainly better in both cases than Super, where the brumbies had the worst win loss and scrum pen in Super. Who plays there? Ohh yes... And the level of scrummaging in Super is well below the URC, prem and France with the SA teams out.


Nongorr is truly woeful. He's 130kg and gets shoved about. That just should not be happening at that weight for a specialist prop who has always played rugby cf pone with leauge. He has had enough time to develop at 23. You'd be better off with Pone who is at least good around the field for the moment and sending Nongorr on exchange to France or England to see if they can improve him with better coaching as happened with Skelton and Meafou. He isn't going to develop in time in super if he has it at all.


Latu is a better scrummaging hooker than BPA and Nasser. and he's the best aussie player over the ball at ruck time. McReight's super jackling percentage hasnt converted to international level but latu consistently does it at heniken level, which is similar to test level in the big games. With good coaching at La Rochelle he's much improved though still has the odd shocker. He should start the November games.

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