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Flood Back In Starting XV

Fri 21 Dec, 12:15 AM


Newcastle Falcons will welcome Toby Flood back into their starting line-up for Sunday's Guinness Premiership visit of Gloucester.

The England centre came on from the bench to score one of the Falcons' five tries in last weekend's comprehensive 39-0 victory over Connacht, and is one of just two personnel changes ahead of Sunday's encounter against the Guinness Premiership leaders.

The other sees Jon Golding take the place of Joe McDonnell at loose-head prop, while there are a number of positional changes in the back line as Mathew Tait drops to full-back, Tom May moves to the right wing and Jamie Noon pushes out one place to outside centre.

Falcons coaching and technical director Steve Bates said: "In terms of taking the game to the opposition, last weekend was up there with our very best performances of the season, and the test for us now is to reach the next level and add that elusive consistency and precision to our play."

Welcoming Flood back in to the line-up, he said: "Looking specifically at the backs we have a fantastic group of players at this club right now, the downside being that only seven of them can be on the field at any one time.

"Tim Visser is extremely unlucky to miss out this week because I thought he contributed well and scored a good try last Sunday, but he is on the bench waiting to come on and add something to the play when he gets his chance.

"We need to threaten Gloucester all around the field, and with both Jonny Wilkinson and Toby Flood in the starting XV it means we have a great passing and kicking game capable of stretching any team."

Hailing the influence of Flood at 12 and a resurgent Wilkinson at fly-half, Bates said: "Jonny and Toby work very well together, as we saw in the second half against Connacht when they both scored tries, and they have the capability of opening up any defence.

"They do interchange positions well during the game, they have that ability, and I'm sure we'll see that again this weekend. In modern rugby the twelve has a massive role to play, communicating, using his vision and exploiting space, so to have two guys in that area who are so proficient is a real plus for us."

With Wilkinson in particular looking sharp last weekend, Bates added: "I thought Jonny was outstanding against Connacht.

"I know there's lots of talk about various young fly-halves coming through at the moment, but you'd have to go a very, very long way to usurp Jonny.

"He is in excellent form. He's enjoying his rugby, he's in magnificent physical shape, totally dominated the game last Sunday and he will be a key man again for us against a very good Gloucester side.

"You just have to look at the guy every single day in training, which people on the outside don't see. He's in absolutely sensational condition and he has a huge amount to offer.

"He's an outstanding player and he can turn games, so what we have to do as a team is make sure that he has that opportunity. What he has is great support outside him in the backs, and this season in addition to that we now have an increasingly solid base upfront from which to build a game. That is a good mix for Jonny to shine, and I'm sure we will see that again on Sunday."

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