No words necessary
By Leipziger
March 12 2011
Standing in the north end of the Stoop last night, when Tane Tu'ipulotu crossed the tryline, I jumped up as I'm sure every other Falcons fan did too. But after a few seconds I turned around and stood still. I might have said these words at a match before, but I don't think I've ever meant them as much: I honestly could not believe what I had just seen.
I am not a religious man, but for a second I looked up at the sky through the solid corrugated roof and thanked whatever had given our boys the strength to get through last night's game successfully.
My once or twice-a-season warning here: if you are reading this for a comprehensive review of the match, then I suggest you hit icnewcastle, since Smithy is doing such a sterling job with the local papers these days.
I might not be the only Falcons fan to have done a full day's work yesterday (well, I might have surfed more than I normally do, but it was a quiet day at the end of a beast of a fortnight!) but I was probably one of very few to follow it up with a can of Zywiec beer on the way to Twickenham.
I have been seeing a Polish lass recently and I promised her I'd drink a Polish beer on the way to the match last night. I will be drinking the same on my way to Northampton next week, since it seems to be a good luck charm, and I hope Andrew will be wearing his shorts too.
All day I had just been living for 3.30pm – I was a little miffed to see Steve write on Facebook in the early afternoon “First pre-match pint of the day” when I still had a couple of hours of work to go, but I consoled myself with the fact that I would at least get a decent kip post-match.
Never had Polish beer before but it was canny, and at 5.6% it certainly helped me through rush hour on Southwest Trains. It wasn't quite face-in-armpit but it wasn't the best trip I've had to Twickenham.
Anyway, forth to the field. It was certainly a shock when Harlequins scored right in front of us within the first minute, although with no countdown clock for most of the first half I only find out now how early it was. Rory Clegg's conversion rubbed salt into the shock.
Still, Quins had scored early in the game the previous Friday too, all was not lost. Even when Clegg kicked a penalty, I recalled that on Glory Night 2 we were 13-0 down at one point.
Gopperth's penalty got us onto the scoreboard, but it was a blip amongst some heavy pressure from Harlequins in the first half. Things looked bleaker when Andrew van der Heijden was sin-binned for an innocuous offence, particularly since the referee had missed what looked like a brutal hit by James Fitzpatrick seconds earlier.
Further penalties kept the difference at seven points at half time, although there had been little to suggest that the 500 (OK perhaps not that many) rather than 6,000 at the Stoop would be going home happy.
In the second half, the first moment of disbelief happened. The Wizard broke on halfway and with the Quins defence high up the field, he ran unopposed towards the line, only being challenged as he came nearer the posts. The whole time Jimmy was running, I kept expecting Nigel Owens to blow his whistle, but he didn't and suddenly with Gopperth converting his own score it was game on.
Another penalty put us ahead in the game for the first time. However, Mike Brown cut through a gaping hole in our defence for Quins' second try and Clegg's conversion meant we were behind by the magical four points. Four points down to Quins late on in a massive cup match - where have we heard that before? I for one thought that was it but should have known better.
However, the Falcons are nothing if not stubborn, and they attacked in the dying minutes, getting close to the line but not quite close enough. Finally, there was a massive overlap on the right and the ball came to Tulip who got over the line to send half of the Stoop's North Stand absolutely potty! With the clock on zero, it didn't matter that Gopperth decided the conversion was the kick he would miss.
It took a little while for it to really sink in that we'd won, I don't know why. Until I got into the bar I didn't know what to say except cheering or chanting. I followed many other Falcons fans down to the pitch so quickly I lost my scarf, thanks to the lady who gave it back to me. And I hope Brent Wilson wasn't too shocked when I gave him a big hug!
After the match supporters danced, drank and hugged – I don't know how many Falcons fans I hugged last night but half of them I'd never met before, I'm sure many other people had the same experience.
It's kind of sinking in this morning that we are in a cup final. We are in a cup final!!
Yesterday afternoon Stewart McCullough (I presume) wrote on Facebook “Perfect conditions in Twickenham”. I was going to, but for some reason didn't, comment something like “Make the most of it, at 10pm tonight Twickenham will be coloured black and grey”. It was. It isn't often that we get these kind of games but that just makes it even more special when they turn up.
Sunday week we have the chance to do the same to the East Midlands, and now that the Falcons have very kindly got me the following day off work, I for one cannot bl00dy wait!
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You got it nail on the head. Great day/night out!
Not your fault I know.
Not your fault I know.
Quote:Leipziger
Maybe it's Tulip's big hair in the photo causing the crashes? :-)
Hmmm. Tane scoring means I have to get my hair cut before the next match!
.....but what do I know? I'm not an Australian TMO.
Quote:Is that cannibalistic?I dont date a Polish lass. Very nice with a grilled steak
