Round Nine of the 2025/26 Gallagher Premiership kicks off with a crucial Friday night showdown as Newcastle Red Bulls host Gloucester Rugby at Kingston Park Stadium. Both teams find themselves near the bottom of the table, eager to kick-start 2026 with a vital win.
Newcastle Red Bulls, currently anchored at the bottom, secured their first campaign point last weekend, earning a bonus point despite a 36-27 loss to Bristol Bears. Meanwhile, ninth-placed Gloucester Rugby have managed just one league victory this season—a 26-15 win over Harlequins in November—and will be looking to build momentum for the new year.
Match Details:
- Date: Friday, January 2, 2026
- Venue: Kingston Park Stadium
- Kick-off: 7:45 pm
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Broadcast Information:
All Gallagher Premiership games are broadcast live this season. You can watch Newcastle Red Bulls vs Gloucester Rugby live on TNT Sports 5, with coverage starting at 7:30 pm. Streaming is also available on discovery+.
For those who can’t attend the stadium, GloucestershireLive will provide a detailed live blog featuring team news, score updates, match reaction, stats, analysis, interviews, and highlights directly from the ground. Additionally, BBC Radio Gloucestershire will offer live commentary throughout the match.
Team Lineups:
Newcastle Red Bulls Starting XV:
15 Ethan Grayson, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Sammy Arnold, 11 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Simón Benítez Cruz;
1 Murray McCallum, 2 George McGuigan (c), 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Oscar Usher, 5 Jamie Hodgson, 6 Tom Gordon, 7 Tom Christie, 8 Ollie Leatherbarrow
Replacements: Ollie Fletcher, Connor Hancock, Luan de Bruin, Finn Baker, Amanaki Mafi, James Elliott, Boeta Chamberlain, Oli Spencer
Gloucester Rugby Starting XV:
15 Charlie Atkinson, 14 Jack Cotgreave, 13 Will Knight, 12 Seb Atkinson, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Ross Byrne, 9 Tomos Williams (c);
1 Val Rapava Ruskin, 2 Will Crane, 3 Afo Fasogbon, 4 Freddie Thomas, 5 Arthur Clark, 6 Deain Gwynne, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 8 Jack Clement
Replacements: George Knowles, Ciaran Knight, Jamal Ford-Robinson, Cam Jordan, James Venter, Mikey Austin, George Barton, Josh Hathaway
Match Officials:
Referee: Christophe Ridley
Assistant Referees: Richard Gordon and Wayne Falla
TMO: Peter Allan
Stay tuned for a thrilling encounter as these two teams vie to climb the Gallagher Premiership table and start the year on a winning note.