Preview: Sale Sharks vs. Falcons of Newcastle: lineups, team news, and prediction
The author is Devesh Jaganath.
Friday’s northern derby between the Newcastle Falcons and Sale Sharks will take place at Salford Community Stadium amid an exciting weekend of action in the Gallagher Premiership.
Sale Sharks currently have an impressive 18 points in the Premiership standings and are in the midst of a hot streak, having secured four wins in their last five matches in this competition.
The hosts’ lone league loss of the season came against Exeter Chiefs in week three, but they recovered magnificently to overcome Gloucester Rugby twice in a row the following week and then defeat Bristol Bears the previous weekend.
The Bears were defeated 27–13 at Ashton Gate thanks to goals from Arron Reed, Sam James, Rob du Preez, and Joseph Carpenter. England fly-half George Ford also scored seven points off the boot.
The Sharks will now play their home game against a lackluster Falcons team, whom they have defeated in each of their previous four meetings at this location.
Meanwhile, after finishing at the bottom of the table last season, the early signs suggest that Newcastle are going to struggle again this term, as they are the only side yet to win a match after five rounds.
The Falcons had not beaten Saracens since 2009, and that record never looked likely to be troubled when the two faced off last weekend when Sarries ran out 50-12 victors at Kingston Park.
Newcastle were 28-7 down at the break, and while an early second-half try by Bryan Byrne gave the Falcons a glimmer of hope, their opponents were too good, running in another three before the final whistle.
However, despite being four years since their last win at this venue, recent history favours the Falcons, having secured victories in two of their last three head-to-head encounters against this opponent.