The Toon come to Town....

It was the last game of the calendar year, following on from a frustrating 22-20 loss away to Sale Sharks in a so far mixed season for Sarries and it was hoped that a short Christmas break might have refreshed the players a little.   The game was announced as a sell-out, which was surprising and welcome news as fixtures around Christmas can be a little flat – also a pleasant surprise was the healthy contingent of Falcons supporters who’d made the trip to North London so close to the New Year and given the very tough season they’ve had so far with their four league points so far coming from losing bonuses.   Also welcome was a rather good chicken katsu curry - such a nice change from turkey and party nibbles. Sarries surely do the best food in the Premiership... Sarries’ matchday squad showed a few changes from the 23 who’d featured at Sale eight days earlier, notably with  Manu Vunipola coming in for Owen Farrell, and Elliott Daly returning to action alongside Roti Segun and, starting on the bench, Ben Earl while Toby Knight was in the back row; Jamie George replaced Theo Dan on the bench, so to speak, joined in the dugout by another very welcome returnee, Nick Isiekwe.   Falcons included one of their two ex-Sarries, Eduardo Bello, in their 23.     

The teams trotted out in bleak conditions, Falcons clad in what looked at a distance like a Hibernian football kit, and it was our friends from the North-East who got off to something of a flyer, as indeed they had in similar conditions at Kingston Park in November (why does that feel like quite a long ago?), when Jennings – who I recalled had put in a couple of good performances against Sarries a year or two ago wearing the green of the late lamented London Irish -  slotted over a penalty for 0-3 in the first minute after Sarries had messed things up straight from the kick-off.

Sarries woke up a bit and roused the home fans when a flurry of penalties built up a good spell of pressure close to the Falcons line, working though several phases before  Dan was there to power his way over on 10 minutes. Manu failed with the conversion but Sarries had their noses in front at 5-3.

I’d noticed that although the game was officially a sell-out there were a fair few empty seats, presumably those of season ticket holders whose attendance counted anyway, and inwardly smiled at the thought that that they would be punished, as I was when in France for the World Cup, with one of those deeply annoying emails from the club asking why they hadn’t attended the game.

Sarries were just starting to hit their stride with Segun in particular looking sharp and dangerous as he hurtled close to the Falcons line before being stopped, but it was Falcons who seized back the initiative, firstly through the fleet-footed and much-feared (not to say much-coveted) Radwan who, following a stray Sarries pass,  latched onto the ball which he hacked forward, collected on the bounce and sprinted well over half the length of the pitch to dive over and restore Falcons’ lead on 16 minutes; Jennings converted for 5-10 and then just 3 minutes later successfully landed a penalty from close to the halfway line to take the score to 5-13.  

Manu made amends for his missed conversion on 23 minutes by taking Sarries to within 5 points at 8-13 with a penalty from a scrum.

Home hearts were in mouths as Falcons’ other impressive winger Stephens celebrated what looked like another opportunistic try for Falcons, only to have his fine effort ruled out by the TMO for a knock-on.  

Sarries won a penalty from the scrum arising from the disallowed try and van Zyl, alert as ever, cleverly tapped and sniped from 10 metres for Sarries’ second try of the game on the half hour. Manu added the extras to restore Sarries’ lead at 15-13.

The black and red faithful were on their feet again when the twinkling toes of Cinti,  who Mrs Jonny always comments has much of the grace and balance of Sean Maitland,  set up van Zyl to juggle the ball out to Hartley – currently a good bet to become Sarries’ next England star – who gleefully went over but having felt that the pass from van Zyl looked a little forward, I was annoyed to be proved right when what would have been a memorable try was chalked off.   

Jennings’ successful penalty kick from out wide, after a number of scrums and with 3 minutes left of the first half, looked like it would be enough to see Falcons, who had continued to belie their league position, go down the tunnel just ahead at 15-16 but as the clock moved towards to 40-minute mark Sarries surged deep into the Falcons half and with a lovely piece of play the ball was worked out to the right for Gonzalez, who has settled remarkably well at Sarries, to go over in the corner, Manu’s now assured boot giving Sarries a 22-16 advantage going into the interval.

Sarries were having to work hard against a clearly determined Falcons side; our scrum looked under pressure at times and it pained me to even think this but I wondered if Mako was now feeling the effects of a long career.

On the positive side, it was great to see a razor-sharp Roti back in action.

We were all delighted to see Earl come out for the second half, replacing Gonzelez and emphasising that when everyone is fit Sarries retain very considerable strength in depth – especially in the back row!   

The first real action of the second half, as Sarries looked to consolidate their position, was a Manu penalty in the 44^th minute to take the score to 25-16, although Jennings, playing as well as I’d remembered from his Irish days, pegged things back to 25-19 just a minute later to keep Falcons within a converted try.

Sarries upped their tempo, and the pressure on Falcons increased as Christie then George, now on for Dan, almost got in for the important bonus point try, while Segun – who deserved more than most to get among the points - slalomed through the Falcons defence only to be stopped just short of the line – he’d been a constant thorn in Falcons’ side all game.

Falcons were working hard in defence to hold Sarries off knowing that any opportunity to break forward could be exploited by the pace of Radwan and Stephens.

The game moved towards the hour mark in much the same fashion, with Sarries still striving for the fourth try as Falcons continued to frustrate them.

The bonus point finally came in the 63^rd minute when a Sarries penalty was kicked to the corner, setting up a powerful maul which marched to the line, only to be collapsed with a penalty try being awarded to take the score to 32-19, Falcons’ task made even harder as their skipper Chick was summarily dispatched to the sin bin.

Mako, who’d earlier been substituted, came back onto the pitch 10 minutes after leaving it due to a head injury to West, the player who’d replaced him.

Stephens caused a bit of anxiety as he broke clear to set up what looked like another opportunistic try for Falcons, but this time the equally speedy Segun got to him, a penalty for Sarries ending the brief spell of danger.

More Sarries pressure followed, and the Falcons defensive line was once again besieged, eventually succumbing in the 70^th minute when another penalty kicked to the corner set up a rolling maul from which the returned Mako picked and went to dot down in the corner for Sarries’ fifth try. Manu missed the conversion, leaving Sarries 18 points to the good at 37-19.

With points difference surely in mind Sarries pushed for a further score, with Cinti going closest when he chased down a kick through the Falcons defence but the ball over-ran.    

The game was moving towards a close when in the last action of the afternoon, as it were, Mako was shown a red card for a dangerous tackle – from what we could see of the screen, he went in second in a double tackle; this was also, I recalled, his second red against Falcons in two seasons as he was sent off at Kingston Park last season.

All-in-all a welcome five points ahead of a tough encounter next week at Mattioli Welford Road or whatever it’s called these days.  Falcons, who as you’ll know from my previous reports have a place in my heart and have moved up to second club status follwing the demsise of Worcester Warriors, showed enough to suggest that they can turn things round in the second half of the season.

Possibly the most heartening sight of the afternoon,though, was the return of both Ben Earl and a Roti Segun, the former back to give us energy and drive, the latter clearly intent on terrifying defenders over the coming months.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

TEAMS:

Sarries: Goode; Segun, Daly, Hartley, Cinti; Manu Vunipola, van Zyl; Mako Vunipola (capt), Dan, Judge, McFarland, Tizard , Gonzalez , Knight, Christie.

Replacements: George, West, Hoskins, Isiekwe, Earl, B Vunipola, Simpson, Parton.

Newcastle: Penny; Radwan, Moroni, Orlando, Stephens; Jennings, O'Sullivan; Brantingham, Blamire, Bello, McDonald, de Chaves, Rubiolo, Pepper, Chick (capt).

Replacements: B Byrne, Brocklebank, McCallum, Cardall, Leatherbarrow, Elliott, Connon, Wacokecoke.

Referee: Jack Makepeace