Fans are f looding to new venture
are attempting to create something similar next month with The Clash.
Newcastle’s plan is to make this evening’s game part of the North-east sporting calendar and sell out the 52,000-capacity stadium by 2020.
“I remember coming here to watch Newcastle play against Tottenham in the first game of THE SIMMONDS brothers combined to send Exeter 11 points clear at the top of the Aviva Premiership after the Chiefs edged out West Country rivals Bath at the Rec last night.
Fly-half Joe Simmonds, the younger sibling of Exeter and England No8 Sam, got the Chiefs off to a good start by slotting a penalty in the sixth minute. Lock Jonny Hill this season and you couldn’t move for black-and-white shirts,” said Flood, who was a ball boy at St James’ Park.
“Had the Falcons’ gamble gone slightly wrong and there’d been 8,000 here for the first one it might have felt like – no offence to Edinburgh – them playing at Murrayfield, but huge credit to the vision of the club. It’s great to then went over for a try in the 23rd minute after Exeter had been battering on the Bath door, with Joe Simmonds adding the extras.
But Bath No10 Freddie Burns reduced the deficit with two penalties see the uptake but also it’s so exciting for us as players to play here and we want to put on an exhibition.”
In an effort to minimise the damage to their pristine playing surface, Newcastle United did not allow a team run or kicking practice on St James’ Park this week.
So it will be as foreign a field for the soaring Falcons as for the third-from-bottom Saints. The territory they occupy in the table, chasing semi-final qualification, is equally unfamiliar.
“History dictates that our roles should be reversed. Northampton should be top four and we should be where they are,” said Flood.
“But sometimes, like when Leicester City won the league or Newcastle United finished fifth in Alan Pardew’s first full year here, you get these seasons.
“We got off to a flier, then people started paying due diligence and we had a stumble, but we have bounced back and, with five games to go, we have a chance of finishing in the top four.
“In days gone by, we’d have bitten your hand off for 50 points in the Premiership but these opportunities are hard to create, so when they arise you have to take them.
“We may spiral out of control – the last six or seven weeks is the hardest mental and physical part of the season and one we have probably never had before – but what’s the worst that can happen? We finish sixth or seventh?
“Well that’s normally a good year for us. It’s a free shot for us. “We’re just a bunch of guys having a bit of fun. We’ll learn a lot about each other over the next few weeks but we don’t have any weight of expectation.
“For us, it’s about looking each other in the eye, smiling and just having a crack and seeing where we get to.” A message of cheer as English rugby moves
house and moves on. before half-time to leave the home side trailing by just four points.
But, eight minutes into the second half, Sam Simmonds put a mixed campaign for England in the Six Nations behind him by dotting the ball down under the posts. Joe, 21, kicked the easy conversion to stretch the Chiefs’ lead.
Bath came back again five minutes later, though, when Matt Banahan collected a neat kick to the corner by Burns to score.
Replacement Paul Grant went over to edge Bath in front but Joe Simmonds kept his cool five minutes from the end to land a penalty that gave Exeter the win.
Bath at least had the consolation of a losing bonus point that moves them up to sixth.