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Bates Enjoying 'Buzz'

Wed 07 May, 08:09 AM


Steve Bates is confident his Newcastle Falcons players are ready for their second outing in just four days ahead of their Guinness Premiership clash with Wasps at Kingston Park.

The game comes on the back of Sunday's dramatic 28-25 victory over league champions Leicester Tigers and Bates will make several personnel changes and a number of positional switches.

Micky Ward and Matt Thompson replace Jon Golding and Andy Long respectively, with fit-again Mark Sorenson returning to the second row while Russell Winter and Brent Wilson join skipper Phil Dowson in a new-look back row.

Hall Charlton comes in at scrum half for James Grindal, while Ollie Phillips forms part of a reshuffled back line which sees Sale-bound Mathew Tait at outside centre, Tom May dropping to fullback and Steve Jones in at fly half.

Bates said: "If you'd asked people that question on Sunday lunchtime with Leicester and Wasps still to play in the space of four days and a trip to Worcester, you could be forgiven for having a feeling of 'let's just get this week out of the way'.

"But given what happened on Sunday afternoon there is now a real buzz among the place, and everyone is keen to get back out there.

"We have a good bunch of players, and I believe the way we are now asking them to play will really get the best out of them.

"The players really want to work hard for one another and put their bodies on the line, and if we can add more of a streetwise resilience to that week in, week out, then we can make ourselves an extremely tough team to beat.

"Wasps now come up here at a time when we are really confident, but like Leicester they are a class side and will provide extremely tough opposition for us."

Wasps director of rugby Ian McGeechan is also set to make a number of changes in the rearranged fixture following the weekend's 25-17 defeat by Gloucester.

Riki Flutey moves to full back, Josh Lewsey moves to the wing and Dominic Waldouck comes into the centre while Tom Voyce is rested.

In the forwards, Pat Barnard has won the race to recover from a knee ligament injury and starts alongside Tim Payne and Joe Ward in the front row - Sunday's front row starters Raphael Ibanez and Tom French are rested and on the bench respectively.

McGeechan said: "With three games in the space of seven days, the way we manage our players this week is crucial.

"Obviously, we are now preparing for our last two games of the season, and both are critical.

"We also know that we have to put in a good performance against Newcastle, which we haven't done in recent years.

"So it's important that we balance selection to keep the players fresh and also match personnel with the tactical requirements of what we want to do in each game."

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