Old heads lead Falcons into battle
Burke and Charvis still hungry for silverware
Newcastle gear up for their European Challenge Cup semi-final against London Irish on Sunday, fresh in the knowledge that their Premiership status is secure for another season after a morale-boosting win over Premiership leaders Sale last weekend.
The Exiles have already claimed a win at Kingston Park this season, a tight 23-20 win back in November.
The Falcons have won a rain-soaked clash 9-6 at the Madejski since then, but Irish have steadily climbed the table with a succession of excellent performances, and are in prime position for both a play-off spot.
Falcons captain Colin Charvis is under no illusions as to what will be required in Sunday’s clash.
"Irish are a class side, they’ve shown it all season," he said.
"They are rightly one of the top sides in the England and Brian Smith has got them playing some good stuff. As a unit they are very hard to break down which is a great quality to have.
"I won’t single out individual players because it’s very much the team ethic that has got them where they are, but we have shown once already this season that we have the talent to beat them."
"Now that burden [of relegation] is lifted, the European Challenge Cup represents a great chance to achieve something from the season. It is silverware, which is great for the fans, but it’s also Heineken Cup qualification and all the benefits that brings."
Fly-half Jonny Wilkinson is just one of the returning Falcons who have boosted their ranks in recent weeks, and with his comeback game against Sale last weekend now under his belt he is back and raring to go.
"Getting back out on the pitch on Sunday was great, and with that now out of the way everyone at the club is totally focused on what is now a vital game for the club," said Wilkinson.
"The European Challenge Cup would really see us take something very positive from this season and if we can harness the effort we showed against Sale Sharks at the weekend then we will put ourselves in an excellent position to really give it a go and reach the final."
Along with Wilkinson and Charvis, the Falcons have another player with vast experience to keep things tight at the back and add a little panache up front.
Full-back Matt Burke turned 33 last month, but he is still a key player in the Falcons back-line and oozes class in every facet of play.
"They’re a difficult team to attack against because they fly up in defence," said Burke, who has scored two of the Falcons' 46 tries in Europe this season in his five starts, of Sunday's opponents.
"Both times we’ve played them this season there has only been a few points in it, one was a high scoring game up here that we lost and then the rematch was 9-6 to us down in Reading back in February.
"They’re playing some good football and going about their business with a lot of confidence, but we too can take away a lot from the way we played in beating Sale Sharks last weekend as we prepare for Sunday.
"Such is the strength of the Premiership that the 11th placed team beat the top side here only a few days ago, and I’m sure this will be another well-contested game."
The winner of Sunday’s semi-final will meet either Worcester or Gloucester in the final on the weekend of May 20/21, with the victor that day clinching a coveted Heineken Cup place.
"Sunday represents a different competition for us and a new challenge, but it’s a big knock-out game with a lot at stake," said the Aussie World Cup winner.
"To play well and win against such a good side as Irish we will have to be at the absolute top of our game in attack, and defend much better than we have in the last couple of weeks.
"We only leaked a couple of tries against Sale, but there were a few in-roads made in to our defence which were slightly alarming and have been addressed this week.
"That’s the way we play the game though, and we just have to make sure we take our chances and score more points than the opposition.
"With two attacking teams up against each other, I’m sure the supporters are in for a good afternoon’s entertainment whatever the outcome may be."
