Gritty Falcons hold Bordeaux tidal wave after Flood strikes
A PERFORMANCE brimming with guts and character saw Newcastle Falcons move to the top of European Challenge Cup Pool 1 in South-west France last night.
A converted try from Jon Welsh and some heroic defence near their own line during the final moments of a full-blooded encounter saw the visitors lay down their credentials as serious contenders for their first silverware since 2004.
Shrewd game management of the final phases was to the fore in a game which saw them trailing until after the hour mark, Dean Richards’ side carrying their fine league form into Europe and sending a message right around the competition that they mean business.
The home side had enjoyed the greater of territory and possession in front of a vocal home crowd, turning that dominance into points when fly-half Simon Hickey chipped over a penalty after only five minutes.
Newcastle suffered a double blow with Alex Tait seeing yellow for an obvious obstruction of Bordeaux’s kick-chase, and the home side took their advantage into double figures when flanker Marco Tauleigne pinned back his ears and raced 60 metres down the right wing for a try converted impressively by Hickey.
The move had stemmed from a Ryan Burrows charge-down which the Falcons failed to capitalise on, but Burrows earned revenge of some kind on 27 minutes when he rumbled over from a slick lineout drive at the tail following an improved period of pressure.
Toby Flood slotted the conversion to reduce the arrears to just three as his side finally gained a foothold, but Bordeaux were flying into every contact and had their forward momentum rewarded on 37 minutes when prop Sebastien Taofifenua proved too difficult to stop from a close-range carry.
Hickey’s conversion completed the first-half scoring with his team 17-7 up.
The Falcons started the second half in fine style when Chris Harris’ line-break enabled Flood to dive over for a closerange converted try.
Hickey responded with a penalty but the Falcons took the lead for the first time on the hour mark when prop Welsh pumped his legs from the base of a ruck a metre out for a converted try.
Flood’s attempt to extend the one-point margin was a whisker off-target when his 45metre penalty hit a post.