Newcastle v Bath: Teams
James Hudson is back to lead relegation-threatened Newcastle against Bath on Saturday.
Last Updated: 29/04/11 3:43pm
Skipper James Hudson returns to lead relegation-threatened Newcastle Falcons in their Aviva Premiership fixture with Bath on Saturday.
The lock has missed the last three games but will pack down alongside Tim Swinson in the second row after recovering from a knee injury.
The Falcons also hand starts to wing Gcobani Bobo and scrum-half Micky Young as they look to move clear of bottom side Leeds Carnegie, with whom they are tied on 22 points with onr game in hand.
A losing bonus point will be enough for Newcastle on Saturday if Leeds end up with nothing from their Northampton trip next Saturday, but fly-half Jimmy Gopperth insists the Falcons cannot take anything for granted.
Attitude
"We can put things to bed this weekend, and we have to make sure we go out there and perform because rugby is a funny old game," he said.
"You cannot expect that Leeds are going to go down to Franklin's Gardens and not get a result. You just never know these days, and we just have to make sure we get things right this weekend.
"Bath need 10 points from their last two games to get a hope of making the play-offs, and they need other results to go their way, so we know they are going to come here to play.
"They have no fear, with nothing to lose and they are going to be very dangerous. We have to be on our guard as they love playing free-flowing rugby.
"We need to turn up with the right attitude."
Bath, who need a bonus-point win to keep alive their outside play-off hopes, are unchanged from the team that crushed Wasps 43-10 at Twickenham last time out.
Jacques Boussuge gains another start on the wing, with Sam Vesty retaining the number 10 shirt ahead of Butch James and England flanker Lewis Moody continuing his comeback from injury in the back row alongside Ben Skirving and Simon Taylor.
"The situation where Newcastle are in the table, and from the recent games I've seen them play, they are very physical," said Bath skills and defence coach Brad Davies.
"In the games up there (at Kingston Park) they have really matched the opposition with their physicality, and they are an aggressive team.
"So there is no doubt - and we've spoken about it - we are going to be in a dog-fight.
"But if we get everything in place, play as well as what we can do and control the game, we can go up there and get four points, possibly five. But we know we are going to have to be spot-on to achieve that."
Threat
Davis has identified Gopperth - the Premiership's leading points scorer this season - as the major threat.
"I think he is their key player, no doubt," he added. "Over the last three to four weeks he has been their stand-out performer. He kicks all their goals, he makes all their line-breaks.
"But what has been pleasing for us, especially over the last two or three weeks, is that we've played against Harlequins' 8-9-10 axis - one of the best in the Premiership - and we handled them.
"The same thought process goes into this week. Newcastle are going to have a quick number nine in Micky Young, and they are going to have a 10 who is playing probably at the top of his game.
"We are going to have to handle those two players in particular if we're going to get the result. I know other things come into it, but we need to do a job on their key players."
Newcastle: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Luke Fielden, 13 Rob Vickerman, 12 Tane Tuipulotu, 11 Gcobani Bobo, 10 Jimmy Gopperth, 9 Micky Young, 8 Ally Hogg, 7 Will Welch, 6 Tim Swinson, 5 Andrew van der Heijden, 4 James Hudson (capt), 3 Euan Murray, 2 Matt Thompson, 1 Jonny Golding
Replacements: 16 Rob Vickers, 17 Grant Shiells, 18 Kieran Brookes, 19 Mark Wilson, 20 Alex Gray, 21 Chris Pilgrim, 22 James Fitzpatrick, 23 Jeremy Manning
Bath: 15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Jacques Boussuge, 13 Matt Carraro, 12 Matt Banahan, 11 Tom Biggs, 10 Sam Vesty, 9 Michael Claassens (capt), 8 Simon Taylor, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Ben Skirving, 5 Danny Grewcock, 4 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 3 David Wilson, 2 Lee Mears, 1 David Flatman
Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Nathan Catt, 18 Duncan Bell, 19 Josh Ovens, 20 Guy Mercer, 21 Mark McMillan, 22 Butch James, 23 Nick Scott