Falcons v Worcester: Teams
Newcastle are set to go head-to-head with one of their former stars when Loki Crichton returns to Kingston Park with Worcester.
Last Updated: 04/01/08 3:10pm
Newcastle are set to go head-to-head with one of their former stars when Loki Crichton returns to Kingston Park with Worcester.
The Samoan back left the Falcons in the summer after his contract expired - however if Crichton had not been tied up with World Cup duty he could still have been a Newcastle player.
And Newcastle director of rugby John Fletcher knows that Crichton is a player to be wary of.
He said: "Loki is an outstanding player, and someone I rate very highly as a character from his time with us last season
"He has some of the craziest footwork I've ever seen in any sport, he had a superb World Cup and he can play anywhere right across the back line if needs be, so we will definitely have to watch out for him.
"His best game for us last year, ironically, was the one that everyone remembers at Worcester for the missed kick at the end. He was our best player that day, and he is someone for whom I have a huge amount of respect.
"We tried to make it happen [contract-wise] with Loki over the summer, but unfortunately it wasn't possible. What we needed was someone who would be with us during the World Cup, having lost Toby Flood and Jonny Wilkinson, and so when Loki made the decision to go with the Samoa squad that meant it just wasn't feasible for us.
Ambitions
"Would I have liked him to stay? Of course I would, because he's an exceptional player and a fine person, but what I'm not going to do is stand in the way of someone who wants to fulfil their World Cup ambitions.
"We never spoke about whether or not he should go to the World Cup, and of course it was the right decision to represent his country. The consequence was that it wasn't possible for us to offer him a contract, but I would never ask a player to turn down the chance of being in a World Cup, and I look forward to seeing Loki again on Sunday."
Fletcher has kept faith with the same XV that beat Saracens last time out, although on the bench there are returns for return for fit-again trio Russell Winter, Lee Dickson and Sean Tomes.
Crichton has been handed the No.10 shirt by Worcester after his try-scoring display off the bench against Harlequins.
Although the Warriors suffered a 10-7 defeat to the Quins, director of rugby Mike Ruddock was suitably impressed with Crichton's performance to hand him a start against his former employers.
Ruddock also hands a first start to young winger Miles Benjamin as Marcel Garvey is ruled out with an abductor muscle strain.
Darren Morris returns to the front row, while on the bench Shaun Ruwers joins James Brown and Chris Pennell.
Worcester: 15 Thinus Delport, 14 Rico Gear, 13 Dale Rasmussen, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Miles Benjamin, 10 Loki Crichton, 9 Matt Powell, 8 Drew Hickey, 7 Pat Sanderson (c), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Craig Gillies, 4 Greg Rawlinson, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Darren Morris.
Replacements: 16 Shaun Ruwers, 17 Matt Mullan, 18 Will Bowley, 19 Gavin Quinnell 20 Jonny Arr, 21 James Brown, 22 Chris Pennell.
Newcastle: 15 Mathew Tait, 14 Tom May, 13 Jamie Noon (c), 12 Toby Flood, 11 John Rudd, 10 Jonny Wilkinson, 9 James Grindal, 1 Jon Golding, 2 Andy Long, 3 Carl Hayman, 4 Andy Perry, 5 Mark Sorenson, 6 Geoff Parling, 7 Ben Woods, 8 Brent Wilson.
Replacements: 16 Matt Thompson, 17 Micky Ward, 18 Sean Tomes, 19 Russell Winter, 20 Lee Dickson, 21 Tim Visser, 22 Ollie Phillips