Back in the Mix

In a reversal of common belief London Irish recently started to put together a string of wins and edge their way up the table into the crowded mid-field where a few points separate 7 teams. Back-to-back wins against Harlequins at home and, crucially, Bath away had seen the Exiles hit 5th place in the table. Expectations were altered by a home, narrow loss to Leicester dropping Irish back to 7th and making the trip to Newcastle more meaningful.

Falcons have had a quiet season except for causing a few upsets. A win at Kingsholm and then beating Exeter, Sale and Leicester at Kingston Park showed that their lowly league position could easily be much higher - certainly they are not a team to take lightly when you head to thier place.

Irish needed points to keep their new league dreams alive and played a team strengthened by the temporary return of internationals. The initial play gave the visitors much hope with tries from Josh Basham, Tom Pearson and Danilo Fischetti putting Irish 19 - 0 up at the half hour.

But Newcastle are a hard nut to crack and replies by Matthew Dalton and Jamie Blamire before half-time followed by another from a rampant Carl Fearns early in the second half left the sides level at 19-all.

A big shift was needed and Irish were, thankfully, up to the task. Matt Cornish scored the Exiles' bonus-point try and Ollie Hassell-Collins added a fifth to put daylight between the teams. Paddy Jackson very sensibly took a late penalty to leave Falcons needing more than two converted tries in as many minutes - an impossible task.

The final score - Newcastle 19 - 34 Irish - felt a little harsh on the home side but did echo the amount of control Irish had exhibited in the first and final half hours. The only real concern was the way the Exiles let Falcons back in in the middle.