Falcons in injury crisis

Heineken Cup squad decimated by injury and illness

Newcastle are in danger of fielding only an 18-strong side for their vital Heineken Cup clash against the Dragons at Kingston Park on Sunday.

Of the 34 players registered for the Pool phase of the competition, no less than 16 are currently injured or unavailable, and only four front-row players are fit.
 
In the forwards the Falcons are without prop James Isaacson (flu), prop Micky Ward (arm), lock Andy Buist (knee), prop Marius Hurter (left the club), flanker Ed Williamson (shoulder), prop David Wilson (knee), and hooker Stuart Mackie (shoulder).

In the backs the story is no better, Matt Burke (knee), fly half Jonny Wilkinson (knee), fly half Dave Walder (knee), fullback Joe Shaw (ankle), centre Mark Mayerhofler (leg), centre Epi Taione (hamstring), scrum half Hall Charlton (flu), centre Jamie Noon (head) and wing Tom May (flu) are all set to miss the game.

The Falcons have not been able to have a meaningful training session all week, leaving Rob Andrew gobsmacked as to how to prepare for the weekend's critical match.

"If the game was being played today, then we couldnt fulfil the fixture," said Andrew on the club website.

"We havent been able to do any training at all this week because we havent had enough bodies to have a meaningful session, and plus, we dont want to injure any of the few fit players we do have.

"In all my years in the game I have never been in a situation like this, where almost half the squad is out injured.

"We havent got enough front row forwards, which is the biggest danger, and so weve just got to hope that some of the injured guys come right by Sunday.

"There is a risk that we might have to name injured front row forwards in the squad just to fulfil the game, and that is certainly not a position we want to be in.

Heineken Cup rules state that a club must name at least nineteen players in the starting line-up, of which at least five must be front-row players.

A club may start a game with less than five front-row players named in the match squad, but should injuries or other circumstances then force the game to uncontested scrums, a charge of misconduct might be laid against the club.

That Newcastle's situation would develop that far is extremely unlikely, given their competitive position in the tournament's standings, but this remains the biggest danger facing the Falcons.

Their other major problem is a steady supply of points, with Wilkinson, Walder, and Burke all out.

"We have no fly halves, no goal kickers, and even our academy player in that position, Toby Flood, is out with a knee injury," said Andrew.

"We just have to wait until Saturday and see who is fit to take the field. We have no kickers at all, and its so bad that we are having a kicking competition on Saturday to see who fancies a crack.

Andrew still tried to remain upbeat though, as is his team.

"Morale is actually very good, and weve put ourselves in a great position in this group.

"Its just unfortunate that were only one win away from the quarter finals, and we find ourselves in this unbelievable situation.

"We just have to hope that we can scramble together somehow 22 fit players, which at the moment we dont have. It may be that we have to be a few men short on the bench, which I believe happened to Bath a few weeks ago, and is a ridiculous situation to be in."

"All we can say to the starting XV is go out there and do your best."