Newcastle Falcons v Gloucester preview

Friday night sees Gloucester make the long trip to Kingston Park, for me it's the five minute walk to the ground to watch Gloucester for the second time at Kingston Park this season. The forecast is set fair and it could be a cracker!

Falcons

Newcastle will be well up for this one, their last home game of the season which also means last home games for a couple of Falcons stalwarts before they depart at the end of the season. Jamie Blamire the all action hooker plays his last game before heading to Leicester and the heartbeat of Falcons Callum Chick plays his last home game before heading to Northampton. Things have been tough for Falcons these last couple of years and both have lead from the front for the Falcons cause. A special mention for Chick who has fronted up to the media week in week out, I was delighted for Chick especially back in October when Falcons won against Exeter.

There's the above factor which I think will mean that little bit more to Falcons on Friday night. There's also the uncertain future with talks of a takeover but with nothing confirmed as of yet that uncertainty pulls everyone together. Late last week there was a rumour of Red Bull being potentially interested, this would be huge for rugby union in the north east but also for club rugby in the UK. As I've said previously I hope that Falcons get themselves sorted with ownership as in my opinion the game needs a strong north east presence.

For Gloucester fans get to see newly signed Ben Redshaw, he'll be keen to play and play well in front of his new club.

Falcons would be disappointed with the scoreline at Saracens last weekend but will take heart from getting a try bonus point. They'll be keen to put a performance in for the final team in front of the Kingston Park faithful this season.

Gloucester

I think it's fair to say that Saturday night at Twickenham was a real disappointment. Harlequins were well worthy of their victory and Gloucester never really got off the bus and looked disjointed and played as individuals. We didn't connect well enough in attack or defence, defensively in the backs we weren't helped by the injury to Chris Harris.

This week has also seen the announcement that nineteen players will leave Kingsholm at the end of the season. Santi Carreras has been mercurial in his time at Kingsholm and Zach Mercer if it hadn't been for his injury earlier this season could've really kicked on under this game plan. Charlie Chapman is one who has come up through the local ranks and it's always sad to see home grown players go, but he hasn't had the game time he'd want at Kingsholm. Hopefully it works out for him at Exeter.

Newcastle Falcons v Gloucester in The Premiership Cup

Some of the rumours that unfortunately were announced as leaving were Freddie Clarke, Chris Harris and Ruan Ackermann. Where do I start with these three? Ruan Ackermann has been monumental in the back row, when his dad left he could've quite easily followed. Instead he stayed and week in week out turns up and gives everything for the Gloucester cause. Freddie Clarke came to Gloucester as an unknown, but what a servant he's been to Gloucester playing at blindside and second row. Freddie seems a great guy around the squad and also has habit of scoring brilliant tries, he'll be a big miss around Kingsholm. Finally there's Chris Harris, he came in as someone who was a Scottish international but his game really kicked on at Kingsholm. Defensively there really isn't many better outside centres in the game than Harris and when he got his British Lions call up I was delighted for him. Again Chris has been brilliant around the group at Kingsholm and is one of the good guys of rugby.

Along with the likes of Christian Wade and Gareth Anscombe there's a lot of experience leaving Kingsholm in the summer and along with that leadership. This opens the door for the likes of Seb Blake, Arthur Clark, Jack Clement, Freddie Thomas and Seb Atkinson to grow into leadership roles within the group. This has worked well at Northampton this season after Courtney Lawes, Alex Waller and Lewis Ludlum left last summer.

As I've said, last weekend was a disappointment and I expect Friday night to be tough as Steve Diamond will have his Falcons well up for this one. Ultimately, Gloucester have to go for the five points on Friday night, if we do this it keeps us in the hunt for a top four spot going into the final game of the season against Northampton.

I know there was a lot of disappointment around the result on Saturday, but we have seen an improvement on last season. The brand of rugby has improved fully, we're one of the most exciting teams in the league to watch when in full flow. If you'd have said to Gloucester fans at the beginning of the season what would be a good season, I think most would've said top six, given how far off we were last season. If we can win the last two games it will have been a good season.

Gloucester fans always travel well up to Kingston Park and I'm sure tomorrow will be the same where there's always a warm welcome from our Falcon friends.

Team news

There's a boost for Falcons with the return of the impressive Tom Gordon who comes in at openside forming a combative back row combination with Cameron Neild and Callum Chick. Sammy Arnold who has impressed in his debut season at inside centre will look to make some ground on the crash ball. Gloucester fans get a chance to see Ben Redshaw. The all action Jamie Blamire starts at hooker in what's sure to me a highly charged evening for him and Callum Chick.

For Gloucester there's a 100th appearance for Ciaran Knight in the front row. The Gloucester team has six starters who will be leaving at the end of the season Carreras, Wade, Harris, Anscombe, Ackermann and Clarke all start and I've no doubt they'll want to put in strong performances. There's a strong looking bench for Gloucester with Blake, Ford-Robinson and Fasogbon in the front row, Cam Jordan and the departing Albert Tuisue complete the forward replacements. In the backs Englefield, Charlie Atkinson and Will Butler will look to impact from the bench.

Phil's prediction

I think Gloucester will take the win here but if we are off our game like last week an emotionally charged Newcastle side can come into the game. I expect Newcastle to come out fired up, physical and confrontational and make it a real fight. But hopefully Gloucester perform how we have seen in their free flowing best and blow the Falcons away.