Falcons just did not get off the bus
SUNDAY WRAP: Newcastle boss Steve Diamond admitted his team “did not get off the bus” after they suffered a crushing 14-85 Premiership loss to Bristol at Ashton Gate.
While Bristol surged into the play-off positions, Newcastle were left to reflect on a 15th successive league loss of the season.
“I thought we had taken a couple of steps forward over the last month, but that was certainly a step back. It gives us a line in the sand,” Falcons’ consultant Director of Rugby said.
“We never touched the ball for the first 15 minutes and they were 21 points up. We didn’t get off the bus at all. It was not a positive vibe.
“All we can do is take them back home and get them ready for Sale next week.
“I said when I came back in that we would have three or four games and I would be making decisions, and that is what we will do.
“It’s a tough world out there and we are obviously not up to it in certain areas, which was evident today.
“It is 15 [Premiership] games without a win so it is very difficult to have any positivity in the building when you keep losing every week.
“We have been close in the last couple of weeks and today it looked like a completely different team.
“Bristol were outstanding today [Sunday] – they would probably have put 25-30 points on anybody in the league – and it is a tough learning day.”
Bristol reeled off a fifth successive Premiership victory as they moved into fourth spot with three regular season games left.
Pat Lam’s team scored more than 50 points for the third home game in a row, posting a club-record Premiership win as they ran in 13 tries.
They claimed seven first-half touchdowns – Siva Naulago, James Dun, Max Malins, Magnus Bradbury, James Williams, Ellis Genge and Benhard Janse van Rensburg all scored – with flyhalf AJ MacGinty adding six conversions.
Further tries followed in the second period for Harry Randall, Kieran Marmion, Jake Heenan, Virimi Vakatawa (2) and Van Rensburg’s second – Williams kicked three conversions and Van Rensburg one – while Newcastle posted scores from wing Adam Radwan and fly-half Brett Connon, who also added two conversions.
* In the other Sunday match, Arron Reed celebrated a century of appearances with a double as an entertaining Sale side outwitted Harlequins to win a 10-try thriller 37-31.
All Sunday’s scorers and scorers follow below …
Bristol Bears 85-14 Newcastle Falcons
The scorers
For Bristol Bears
Tries: Naulago, Dun, Malins, Bradbury, Williams, Genge, Janse van Rensburg 2, Randall, Marmion, Heenan, Vakatawa 2
Cons: MacGinty 6, Williams 3, Janse van Rensburg
For Newcastle Falcons
Tries: Radwan, Connon
Cons: Connon 2
Teams
Bristol Bears: 15 Max Malins, 14 Siva Naulago, 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 James Williams, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Fitz Harding (captain), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Josh Caulfield, 4 James Dun, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Ellis Genge.
Replacements: 16 Will Capon, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 Joe Owen, 20 Jake Heenan, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Virimi Vakatawa, 23 Rich Lane.
Newcastle Falcons: 15 Ben Redshaw, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Oli Spencer, 12 Tom Penny, 11 Iwan Stephens, 10 Brett Connon, 9 Sam Stuart, 8 Callum Chick (captain), 7 Sam Cross, 6 Philip van der Walt, 5 Sebastian de Chaves, 4 Tim Cardall, 3 Richard Palframan, 2 Jamie Blamire, 1 Adam Brocklebank.
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Mark Dormer, 18 Eduardo Bello, 19 John Kelly, 20 Freddie Lockwood, 21 Max Pepper, 22 Rory Jennings, 23 Matias Moroni.
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Andrew Jackson, Simon Harding
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Sale Sharks 37-31 Harlequins
The scorers
For Sale Sharks
Tries: B Curry, Dugdale, Reed 2, Quirke
Cons: Ford 3
Pens: Ford 2
For Harlequins
Tries: Lynagh 2, Murley, Beard, Northmore
Cons: Smith 2, J Evans
Teams
Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Rob du Preez, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Arron Reed, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr, 8 Jean-Luc du Preez, 7 Sam Dugdale, 6 Ben Curry (captain), 5 Josh Beaumont, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 James Harper, 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 1 Bevan Rodd.
Replacements: 16 Tommy Taylor, 17 Simon McIntyre, 18 WillGriff John, 19 Ben Bamber, 20 Hyron Andrews, 21 Raffi Quirke, 22 Sam James, 23 Tom O’Flaherty.
Harlequins: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Cadan Murley, 13 Oscar Beard, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Louis Lynagh, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Will Porter, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 7 Will Evans, 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 5 Stephan Lewies (captain), 4 Irne Herbst, 3 Dillon Lewis, 2 Sam Riley, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Jack Walker, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 George Hammond, 20 Tom Lawday, 21 Danny Care, 22 Jarrod Evans, 23 Luke Northmore.
Referee: Tom Foley
Assistant referees: Hamish Smales, John Meredith
TMO: Dean Richards
