Newcastle Analysis

By Lawrence Aggleton
August 31 2008

Head Coach: Steve Bates

EPS Players: 1 (Jonny Wilkinson)

Last Season GP: 11^th

Last Season Europe: CC SF

European Group (ECC): Brive, El Salvador, O Parma

Pre-Season:

Vs Western Force L

@ Leeds L

@ Racing Metro W

First Four:

Vs Sale

Vs Saints

@ Saracens

Vs Bristol

Big Outs: Toby Flood (Tigers), Matthew Tait (Sale)

Big Ins: Tane Tu'ipulotu (Wellington), Adam Balding (Gloucester)

Key Man: Jonny Wilkinson

Halfway through last season Newcastle fired their head coach and alienated two of their most talented players in Flood and Tait so much that they then sold them. At the same time their extremely successful Aussie import Matt Burke was forced to retire due to injury. For all the money that's come in from the transfers of Tait and Flood, very little has been spent. You have to wonder if Dave Thompson the chairman wants a Premiership rugby team. Either way, unless something changes they look a sure bet for the drop - which will be truly sad for a Premiership that benefits from the Falcons for regional diversity if nothing else.

Premiership: The most positive thing I can say is they won't lose many to the EPS. They've lost a pre-season game to relegated Leeds and they've Saints and Bristol at home in the first four games. If they can't win them, expect little. Prediction: 12^th (relegated).

Europe: Two easy teams means they may well scrape through as a best runner up. Prediction: ECC QF