FALCONS FIND THEIR CLAWS

NEWCASTLE kick-started their Heineken Champions Cup campaign with a stunning 26-25 win against Toulon.

Dean Richards’ side were 10 points behind early on when giant lock Romain Taofifenua charged down a kick with only 21 seconds gone. Francois Trinh-Duc added the conversion and then kicked a seventhminute penalty to make it 10-0.

But Newcastle hit back through Fijian No.8 Nemani Nagusa who won a turnover to allow Joel Hodgson (left) to kick a penalty. Falcons hooker Kyle Cooper went over from two metres, with Hodgson adding a penalty and conversion for the lead. And it was Hodgson who eventually had the final word with a 70th-minute penalty.