Bates reveals Hayman injury delay

Hayman has been absent with a troublesome hamstring injury

Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Steve Bates has revealed the delay behind the return of tight-head prop Carl Hayman to first-team action.

Hayman, 29, has been out with a niggling hamstring injury and Bates admitted it is a nerve-based problem rather than a muscle tear.

"As soon as he gets into scrummaging position that tension reactivates the problem," he told BBC Newcastle.

"With him being an influential player we want to give him every opportunity."

Falcons now have a fortnight's break from Premiership action, with their involvement in the European Challenge Cup beginning with the trip to Petrarca Padova on Saturday.

But Bates believes he will be unable to rest too many players given the knocks picked up by Jon Golding in Sunday's defeat by Saracens at Kingston Park.

"We've got to be realistic about how quickly this team will gel together and maybe the European games are a good opportunity for the team to relax and play," he said.

"We will have to look at the team quite closely before we make any decisions on whether we can rest anybody or not.

"Hopefully they will all pull through this week, and we may well be able to look at resting one or two, but that is something we will have to look at Tuesday or Wednesday."