NOTTINGHAM flanker Tom Calladine will make his first RFU
Championship start in the Green and Whites top of the table clash
with Newcastle at Kingston Park on Friday (November
4).
The Mansfield-born
and raised hardman has impressed as an impact player for the East
Midlands club this season, having come off the bench in all eight
league matches. He stood out in Nottingham's two British and Irish
Cup matches as a starter in a largely experimental line-up.
Calladine (pictured), who spent the off-season playing for
Linwood in New Zealand's Canterbury Metropolitan Competition where
he finished the club's try scorer and voted best player, comes in
at blind-side flanker ahead of Rupert Cooper.
The former young England international's inclusion is one of
three changes made to the Nottingham team that overpowered Bristol
63-7 on Sunday.
Hooker Shaun Malton, who has signed for Nottingham for the rest
of the season after completing a short term contract with
Premiership side London Irish, takes his place on the bench.
Centre Tim Streather has recovered from injury and is
immediately ushered back into Martin Haag's match day 22. Joe
Cobden, however, manages to hold his starting spot having shone
since Streather was sidelined early last month.
Nottingham backs coach Ben Johnston said Calladine's energy and
the inclusion of Streather and Malton will be crucial for a Green
and Whites side that have focused on being in peak condition for
the toughest away trip in the Championship.
"This week has been a case of fine tuning and making sure
everyone is fresh from Friday night because it has been a short
turn around for us," Johnston said.
As for the hype surrounding the clash and the way in which
Nottingham roared to second place in the league, Johnston said the
enormity of the task has kept everyone grounded.
"It's good that we have the toughest opposition in the league
next because all the players realise the task ahead of them,"
Johnston said.
"The performance was great but it will take a monumental effort
to go away to Newcastle and come away with something."
Nottingham rugby team to face Newcastle Falcons at
Kingston Park on Friday, November 9 (8pm kick-off):15
Andrew Savage 14 David Jackson 13 Joe Cobden 12 Joe Munro 11 Rhys
Crane 10 James Arlidge 9 Sean Romans 1 Matt Parr 2 Joe Duffey 3
Michael Holford 4 Dan Montagu 5 Nic Rouse 6 Tom Calladine 7 Brent
Wilson 8 Alex Shaw.
Replacements from:16 Shaun Malton 17 Matt
Shields 18 Joe Quinn 19 Rupert Cooper 20 Finlay Barnham 21 Rory
Lynn 22 T