Wasps deserved to sting us, says coach
RICHARDS HAS NO COMPLAINTS AS FALCONS BEATEN
NEWCASTLE Falcons’ chief Dean Richards conceded Wasps were full value for their 39-22 victory in their final regular-season clash in the Aviva Premership.
Newcastle’s defeat at Kingston Park means they will finish in fourth place and face champions Exeter at Sandy Park in the end-of-season playoffs later this month.
The Falcons - without eight players due to injury - trailed 31-3 at one stage but hauled themselves back to 31-22 before a late Willie Le Roux try sealed the visitors’ victory.
Director of rugby Richards (pictured below) said: “Wasps have gifted players but we did give them lots of time and space to do what they did.
“When we decided to play, we got back to nearly within a score and when you are pushing it and chasing the game that is when turnovers happen and that is what happened - it was a killer blow.
“The options going into the semi-final at Exeter will be totally different for us.
“We will have a few players to come back in and we will step it up.
“We will look at what happened and learn from it and the lads are not happy with the result.
“We have two weeks to come up with a plan to beat Exeter down there and we know we are capable of winning away from home.
“However, we do know they will be difficult to beat down there.”
Dai Young has warned Wasps they will need an 80-minute performance if they are to have any chance of beating Saracens in the Aviva Premiership semi-finals.
Despite scoring six tries at Newcastle, Wasps needed a late try from Le Roux to make the game safe with just two minutes left and Young warned: “We are not going to win at Saracens with a 60-minute performance like that.
“We need to play for 80 minutes and we will have to be at our best at Allianz Park - I want us to go there and perform.
“That is the challenge and we have to be up for it.
“We played really well for those 60 minutes, we were very good but then we were fairly loose and we have lost a lot of games late on. It is our Achilles heel and I am pleased to have come through.
“I believe we can play for 80 minutes like we did for those 60 minutes and we will have to do that against Saracens.
“We were pretty casual in those last 20 minutes and we have to stop just chucking the ball over our shoulders.
“We have worked hard on our fitness and concentration but what happened here is very much the story of our season.
“We are not going to go to Saracens and win it with a 60-minute performance.”