Falcons side to face Montpellier

Ben Redshaw is among Newcastle Falcons’ returning players on Friday when they end their EPCR Challenge Cup group campaign at home to French club, Montpellier.

Junior World Championship winner Redshaw comes in as one of six changes from the side which travelled to Ospreys last weekend, with 19-year-old flanker Reuben Parsons making his first start after impressing in two appearances from the bench.

Richard Palframan and Bryan Byrne are brought into the front row – Philip van der Walt captaining the side from second row as Freddie Lockwood slots back in at No.8.

Alex Hearle returns at outside centre for a Falcons side still searching for their first victory in this season’s competition, with Friday’s bench including club captain Callum Chick, hooker Jamie Blamire, fly-half Brett Connon and potential debutant, Max Clark.

Hoping to use the 8pm kick-off as a means by which to regain some winning momentum, director of rugby Steve Diamond said: “Whatever team Montpellier send, they’ll be physical and well-drilled.

“It’s one of the big French clubs coming to Kingston Park, and with the Bristol game the weekend after it’s really important we find our stride going into what is a really important Premiership game.

“Montpellier will want to run, that means opportunities to turn their ball over but we’ve got to match them physically. We’ll look to have a go from counter-attack, and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Reflecting on Saturday’s defeat at Ospreys, Diamond added: “There were a lot of positives last weekend, but at the same time there were a number of age-old negatives in areas where we’re not improving.

“We’ve had some words earlier in the week because the same areas keep going wrong, and it’s like Einstein’s definition of insanity – doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

“The players have got to take some responsibility by believing in and implementing the plan we put in place during the week, and we’ll be a lot better when we do that.

“Ospreys were worth their victory but the margin could have been a lot closer than 20, and we’ve only got ourselves to blame for that. We created opportunities but didn’t take them, and we flew out of the line a couple of times in defence.

“Some lads are turning up and delivering the basics, and some aren’t. So it’s about understanding and believing in our system, otherwise we’re all wasting our time here.”

Newcastle Falcons v Montpellier (Friday, 8pm, Kingston Park, live on EPCR TV)

15 Louis Brown, 14 Ben Redshaw, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Oli Spencer, 11 Max Pepper, 10 Kieran Wilkinson, 9 James Elliott; 1 Micky Rewcastle, 2 Bryan Byrne, 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Philip van der Walt (captain), 5 John Hawkins, 6 Reuben Parsons, 7 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 8 Freddie Lockwood.

Replacements: 16 Jamie Blamire, 17 Connor Hancock, 18 Callum Hancock, 19 Kiran McDonald, 20 Callum Chick, 21 Joe Davis, 22 Brett Connon, 23 Max Clark.

Referee: Filippo Russo (Italy).