Newcastle (11) 24
Tries: Visser, May Con: May Pens: May 4

Harlequins (9) 16
Try: M Brown Con: Malone Pen: N Evans 3

Gonzalo Tiesi finds his way blocked by two Newcastle defenders

Newcastle survived a slow start and a late Harlequins rally to win their sixth successive Premiership match.

New Zealand stand-off Nick Evans's boot put the visitors into a 6-0 lead before a Tom May penalty and try from Tim Visser edged the Falcons ahead.

Three further penalties from May appeared to have sealed the win before Mike Brown crossed to make the score 17-16 with five minutes left.

But May converted a try of his own in the final minute to clinch the victory.

Newcastle director of rugby Steve Bates on fly-half Tom May:
"He causes a threat. He's strong and powerful over a short distance.

"But the changing nature of the game in that position has contributed to what we've tried to do. It begs the question of what a fly-half role is now.

"What we're saying to Tom is, 'Play, have a go, don't just pass or kick it'. We don't want to play a kicking game all the time. Maybe his first instinct is to run, but that's part and parcel of what we've done recently."

Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards on Newcastle prop Carl Hayman:
"Hayman makes a huge difference to them. Everything ticks when he plays.

"Having said that, Ceri Jones dealt with Hayman reasonably well. I thought the referee made some strange decisions there.

"But we certainly had opportunities to score in the second half, and you have to finish them if you're going to win games. It had more to do with our execution and patience."

Newcastle: Tait, Fenby, Noon, Tu'ipulotu, Visser, May, Young, Golding, Vickers, Hayman, Swinson, Sorenson, Dowson, B. Wilson, Balding.
Replacements: Jones for Fenby (69), Ward for Golding (79), Thompson for Vickers (69), Parling for Sorenson (53), Winter for Balding (61).
Not Used: Charlton, Miller.

Harlequins: M. Brown, M. Brown, Strettle, Tiesi, Turner-Hall, T. Williams, N. Evans, Gomarsall, Jones, Botha, Ross, Kohn, Robson, Robshaw, Skinner, Guest.
Replacements: Barry for Turner-Hall (61), Malone for N. Evans (41), Poluleuligaga for Gomarsall (61), Fuga for Botha (61), Lambert for Ross (72), J. Evans for Kohn (56), McMillan for Guest (41).

Att: 7,705

Referee: Martin Fox (RFU)

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version