Falcons coach sees youth benefits

Tom Catterick has impressed during his spell in the Falcons team

Newcastle director of rugby Steve Bates believes the emerging players at the club will have benefitted from their run-out in the club's LV= Cup campaign.

Bates has used the competition as a blooding ground for young players such as Tom Catterick and Michael Tait.

"This has been a great opportunity for guys to get out there and learn about playing in the Premiership," Bates told BBC Newcastle.

"It's not quite been at that intensity but it's higher than A grade rugby."

Bates added: "I think they'll have learned a lot from it, and if that's the case, then it's been very useful."

Bates has previously defended his team selection for the Anglo-Welsh Cup, having left out the majority of the club's key players such as Jimmy Gopperth, Carl Hayman and Tane Tu'ipulotu.

And the former Border Reivers coach once again admitted his strategy is decided by the personnel available at Kingston Park.

"We've got a really, really tough schedule coming up in the next few weeks and it's important for us to use our resources sensibly," he said.

"We haven't got a big squad and we've got London Irish next Sunday, then Northampton and then Gloucester, followed by two big games against Montauban and then Leeds here at home.

"It's great to give guys experience as some of them will be undoubtedly be needed during that period."