Newcastle Falcons team for Prem Cup semi-final v Bath Rugby

Cameron Neild makes his first start for Newcastle Falcons on Friday when they host Bath Rugby in the semi-finals of the Premiership Rugby Cup.

The back-rower has made two appearances from the bench having recovered from the broken arm he sustained in pre-season - Neild forming part of a side showing three changes from last week’s quarter-final win over Gloucester.

Connor Doherty replaces Max Clark in the centres following a hamstring injury picked up during the 22-17 victory, Ben Stevenson returning on the left wing after missing the Gloucester game with a head knock.

Scrum-half James Elliott comes onto the Falcons’ bench having been part of the Jersey Reds side which defeated Bath last season in the Premiership Rugby Cup, with the Falcons aiming to make their first major domestic cup final since 2011.

Should Newcastle Falcons beat Bath, their prize would be a home final against Exeter Chiefs or Ealing Trailfinders on Friday March 14, with director of rugby Steve Diamond determined to end the club’s 21-year wait for silverware.

He said: “It’s been a long time since we won anything, and we’re one game away from a final. It’s a ray of hope for us, a chance for us to get the club’s name out there in a positive light and an opportunity to show potential investors that we know what we’re doing.

“It’s the Prem Cup and I’m not naïve enough to think it’s going to be dominating the red-tops, but it’s a bit of a positive narrative for us after a tough couple of seasons. We’re a fully functioning club, we’re probably nearer to break-even than most in the Premiership and for those people potentially looking at investing it just shows a degree of ability if we can make a national final.

“It’s important for the players and supporters that we try and achieve something this year. Not finishing bottom of the Premiership would be a big one after the way we were written off by everybody coming into the season, and then lifting a trophy would be another. This is our last opportunity to do that, and the Prem Cup has been great for us. A lot of people go through a 15-year career and don’t win anything. Racking up appearances for a club is all well and good, and I’m not negating that, but ultimately it’s about winning.”

Coming through a tense quarter-final last weekend, the Falcons boss said: “Gloucester had gone with a very similar selection all the way through the cup campaign and won away against basically Exeter’s Premiership side, so we knew it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. You see all the criticism about it being a so-called second team, but all credit to them, because they put up a great fight. We didn’t help ourselves in certain areas, but Gloucester were tenacious on the night and I think it’s disrespectful to talk them down in the way that some people have been doing.

“Last week I think we saw some of our guys trying to win the game on their own, rather than sticking to the team plan. It was like all the oars on the boat were rowing, but not in the same direction. It’s been good for us in a way because now we’re really aware of it, and we know how important it is that everyone’s on the same page. Like we were getting into great positions five metres out and making life difficult, rather than taking the easy option. We were picking and going when they had nine or ten defenders tight around the ruck with their knees on the deck, whereas if we’d moved it wide we had a four-on-one.

“There are easy wins out there on the field when you play with your head up, so it doesn’t always need to be fire and brimstone, which we have loads of. Sometimes it just needs a bit of clear thinking, but of course we’ve got to man up in the physical battle. That’s a given for any game at this level.”

Reporting largely positive news on the injury front after Max Clark went off early last weekend, Diamond said: “Max will only be out for a week or so with his hamstring.

“It’s just a bit of tightness but this game has come a little bit too soon for him, and then Alex Hearle will be fine for Friday despite going off in the quarter-final. We’ve come through reasonably well, injury-wise, and the guys who are out longer term are the ones we’ve known about for a little while.”

Expecting a stern test against the table-toppers, he added: “Bath have got quality running through their squad, they’ve got over their woes of the last ten years and really got themselves organised under Johann van Graan.

“He’s done a great job and they’ll be a formidable force for the next number of years, so we know the size of the challenge in front of us. We’ve just got to concentrate on the bits we can do well, and if we get those right eight or nine times out of ten, we stand a chance.

“Discipline will be massive, because if you give midfield penalties to Bath they’ll kick to the corner and drive you over, like they did with Quins in the quarter-final. Last weekend against Gloucester we were pretty disciplined and only gave away six penalties, and we scored three tries through our own maul, so it’s a massive focus.”

Newcastle Falcons team v Bath Rugby (Friday, 7.45pm, Kingston Park, live on TNT Sports)

15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Alex Hearle, 13 Connor Doherty, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Ben Stevenson, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart; 1 Adam Brocklebank, 2 Jamie Blamire, 3 Murray McCallum, 4 Philip van der Walt, 5 Kiran McDonald, 6 Freddie Lockwood, 7 Cameron Neild, 8 Callum Chick (captain).

Replacements: 16 Ollie Fletcher, 17 Micky Rewcastle, 18 Richard Palframan, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Ollie Leatherbarrow, 21 James Elliott, 22 Kieran Wilkinson, 23 Oli Spencer.