Falcons still without a win after mauling by Tigers

Written by on 9th October 2024

Newcastle Falcons’ Callum Chick is tackled by Bristol Bears’ Fitz Harding during the Gallagher Premiership match at Kingston Park, Newcastle in September 2024.

 

Newcastle Falcons’ search for a Gallagher Premiership win this season continued after a 42-10 loss to the visiting Leicester Tigers at Kingston Park last Saturday.

Callum Chick captained the Falcons on his 150th appearance for the club and scored the team’s only try, with a pick-and-go in the second half, as the away side were down to 13 men.

Tries from Ollie Hassell-Collins, Anthony Watson, Emeka Ilione, Freddie Steward, George Martin, Will Wand and Hanro Liebenberg helped the Tigers to a huge win.

It was a decisive defeat, despite the fact that the Tigers had to play without their world-class coach, Michael Cheika, who was handed a two-match ban for “disrespecting” a match-day doctor in the fixture against the Exeter Chiefs last month.

Newcastle Falcons’ director of rugby Steve Diamond.

 

Steve Diamond, the Falcons’ director of rugby, said: “Nobody is shirking responsibility because it’s on all of us, from me through to the coaching team, the players and right down to the kit man.

“I’m not hanging anybody out to dry because it was a collective failure, and we’ll deal with it as a group.”

Diamond continued: “The performance was unacceptable, and we all owe an apology to our supporters and sponsors who came along and continue to get behind us.”

Not only are the Falcons yet to win a game this season, they have yet to come close, failing to gain even a losing bonus point in any of their three fixtures so far.

Diamond’s squad will have to hope their fortune changes this week, as they visit Sale Sharks on Friday night, who they played close last month – albeit in a friendly – losing 40-39. The Falcons are heavy underdogs going into the match.

The Falcons currently sit at the bottom of the Premiership table, and need points quickly to avoid becoming serious relegation candidates for the RFU Championship next season.


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