The Falcons are soaring back into the big time
ST JAMES’ PARK DATE FOR THE TEAM WHICH HAS BEEN SURPRISE PACKAGE OF SEASON
NEWCASTLE FALCONS, the great gatecrashers of English Premiership rugby, are hitting the big time with a vengeance.
Having soared to fourth top, scattering the country’s traditional clubs following a miraculous run of 11 victories in 17 matches, the Falcons are marching into the citadel that is St James’ Park in an effort to force their way into rugby’s play-offs.
They are transferring to the 52,000-seater home of Newcastle United to confront Northampton Saints on Saturday, March 24.
Rightly billed The Big One, the 5.30pm showdown will be preceded by Tyneside’s own varsity match, a three o’clock curtain-raiser between Newcastle University and Northumbria University.
It’s a feast of rugby which has already captured the imagination of a Newcastle public intrigued by the success of a team within its city boundaries.
Ticket sales have topped the 18,000 mark which is well on the way to the target of 20,000 originally set by the club.
That’s literally thousands more than can be shoehorned into Kingston Park and will ensure that the Falcons record home crowd of 11,750, against Bath in 1998 at Gateshead International Stadium during their title run-in, will be smashed. Director of rugby Dean Richards, a legend during his playing days, is the mastermind behind the rise and rise of the Falcons this season and his aim is for Newcastle to follow the blueprint he established at Harlequins many years ago. “When I was working with Quins we launched a similar initiative playing a game at Twickenham every season and they were eventually selling out at 70,000,” said Richards. “Other clubs like Saracens at Wembley and Wasps have since followed suit, and if we’re successful this time at SJP then we would love to make it an annual event. “St James’ Park is an incredible stadium, a majestic place which I know the players will love. “The whole atmosphere, the occasion, will appeal hugely especially to our local lads and all our British contingent.
“We have a great affinity with Newcastle United. Our owner Semore Kurdi is a football fan, my head coach Dave Walder used to have a season ticket, skipper Will Welch went with his dad, Toby Flood was a ball boy as a kid, and even our Argentinians are friends with the likes of Ayoze Perez.”
SJP has successfully hosted top rugby events already staging three matches during Rugby World Cup of 2015 and three Super League Magic Weekends as well as being selected as the venue for the 2019 European Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals.
“I’ve been to St James’ a bit myself since I came up here, not only for the World Cup and the Rugby League but to watch the football team,” Dean said. “I used to be a Coventry City fan so I know what it’s like to suffer! My gran lived 400 yards from Highfield Road.”
Richards has stepped out at one of the country’s great football arenas himself, having played rugby for England at Wembley and also taken part in a charity football match there.
“I can actually boast that I’ve saved a penalty at Wembley,” smiled Dean. “The reality is that the guy taking the spot kick stubbed his toe and I dived on the ball as it trickled towards me but they all count.”
The Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup on the Saturday morning at Kingston Park will see more than 100 junior teams participating before the focus turns to St James’ Park which will host the city’s Varsity Match, a fixture which attracts a big following in its own right given the huge student population in Newcastle. There will be a fan plaza outside the stadium with food, drink and entertainment.
The Falcons will play in black and white stripes on the day, with proceeds from the kit sales going to Doddie Weir’s Discretionary Trust following his diagnosis with Motor Neurone Disease. The shirts have already sold out.
Since the heady days after rugby went professional in 1995 and Sir John Hall bought a lorryload of world-class internationals, which resulted in the Falcons being crowned champions of England, they have slipped down the pecking order into almost annual relegation fights – but this season has been a revelation.
Fourth in the all-important league, the Falcons are still in the Anglo Welsh and Challenge Cups.
Why the lift-off? Richards has no doubt.
“We have a terrific spirit and players who have readily bought into what we’re doing here,” he told me. “They are ambitious and have learned year on year how to win games. Three years ago tight matches would have seen us turn the ball over or give away a penalty near the end when ahead. “Winning becomes a habit, just like losing does. After we were promoted back to the Premiership we couldn’t buy a victory the whole season. Now it’s very different. “The signs have been there for a while that we’ve been going in the right direction – it’s just that it hasn’t necessarily been obvious to the outsider. “We have a young coaching team who are thirsting to learn and it’s all come together, although with success has come extra pressure. “This club also owes a great debt to Semore Kurdi and Dave Thompson before him because without them there would be no Falcons. “We have five big games left to get into the play-offs including Northampton at St James Park and probably need three or four wins. It’s going to be tough but it’s doable. “We’ll have a few injured players like Davey Wilson, Gary Graham, and Mark Wilson back before the end of the season so that will help.” TICKETS start from from just £10 and juniors from £5. They are bookable by calling 0871 226 6060 or visiting www.newcastle-falcons.co.uk
St James’ Park is an incredible stadium, a majestic place which I know the players will love Dean Richards