Adam Balding returns to bolster the Newcastle back-row against Brive © Getty Images

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Matches Brive 36 - 22 Newcastle

Players/Officials Adam Balding

Tournaments/Tours European Challenge Cup

Teams Newcastle

Newcastle Falcons welcome back fit-again flanker Adam Balding for Thursday's European Challenge Cup trip to Brive. Balding returns after having recovered from a head injury sustained against Gloucester two weeks ago, and joins a Falcons team also welcoming winger John Rudd back into the fold.

Rudd takes the place of former rugby league international Danny Williams on the wing, with Williams sidelined by an ankle injury picked up in last Saturday's emphatic 63-0 victory over Spanish champions Cetransa El Salvador

Speaking ahead of the game Newcastle Director of Rugby Steve Bates said, "We have travelled a day early to give ourselves the best possible preparation time for this game. Adam Balding and John Rudd both returning to the side will give us added physicality, as we hope to repeat the victory we had here last season in the same competition."

Newcastle and Brive have been drawn in the same pool for four seasons in a row, with Bates stating, "What it does mean is there should be no surprises for us. We know we will be in for a tough game against a determined side in a vocal atmosphere, but in terms of the hotel, the training facilities and the town itself these are all things we are very familiar with from our past travels here."

They will face a Brive side containing several familiar faces, as former Leicester fly-half Andy Goode, ex-Scarlets flanker Alix Popham and former Northampton pair Ben Cohen and Steve Thompson are recalled to the side following a disappointing opening round loss to Overmach Parma.

Brive: A Palisson; N Ligairi, R Cooke, F Estebanez, B Cohen; A Goode, A Pic; D Kinchagishvili, S Thompson, P Capdevielle, C Short, D Browne, A Claasen, S Azoulai (c), A Popham

Replacements: J Bonrepaux, P Idieder, J van Zyl, V Forgues, J Pejoine L Orquera, H Agulla

Newcastle Falcons: Steve Jones, Tim Visser, Jamie Noon, Tom May, John Rudd Rory Clegg, Hall Charlton, Joe McDonnell, Andy Long, Carl Hayman, Andy Perry Mark Sorenson, Adam Balding, Ed Williamson, Phil Dowson (c)

Replacements: Matt Thompson, Micky Ward, Tim Swinson, Russell Winter, James Grindal, Ollie Phillips, Tom Dillon

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