Falcons show importance of Championship
CORNISH Pirates wing Alex O’Meara believes you only have to look at Newcastle Falcons’ strong start to life back in the Premiership to banish all talk of ring-fencing.
The former England Students flyer awaits his sixth season with the Cornwall club that challenged Falcons and usual contenders Ealing Trailfinders in the second-tier last season, winning 11 of their 15 matches.
Since the RFU called a halt to last season Championship clubs have been left in limbo amid talk of ringfencing.
O’Meara, 27, points to the immediate success of Dean Richard’s Newcastle, plus the success of former teammates Kyle Moyle, Christian Judge and Sam Simmonds as reasons for the Championship being integral to Premiership Rugby’s product.
“I love the Championship, it serves a massive purpose to English rugby,” O’Meara told TRP. “It speaks volumes for the league if you look at Newcastle’s return to the Premiership.
“Yes they were unbeaten last year but they only just scraped by in a couple of matches – they just about beat us at the Mennaye.
“If you ask people what the Championship is for it is always going to get a hundred different answers, but I believe it serves a purpose and pushes teams. Newcastle are second in the Premiership after taking the Championship title last year.
“People will point out that they were a Premiership team beforehand but look at them now after their time playing the likes of Cornish Pirates, Bedford and Doncaster. Every team that goes up seems to be taking strides in the Premiership, look at Bristol Bears as well.
“With the pandemic, you can see why they want to ring-fence. For players in the Championship, all we can say is that the league serves a great purpose and there is so much talent that can make the step up.
“‘Moyler’ (Kyle Moyle) and Judge haven’t looked out of place at Gloucester and Bath.”
O’Meara, who has 51 tries for the Pirates, extended his contract at last season’s third-place finishers but says the goal remains the Premiership.
“Looking at Moyler and Christian, we are all working to compete for promotion in this league and to play at the top level like them.”