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Alex Codling makes frank admission as Newcastle's dire start to season continues
Alex Codling rued the ‘unacceptable’ errors which cost his Newcastle side a first win of the season as they let a half-time lead slip in a 20-14 defeat against Exeter.
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Tries from Jamie Blamire and Matias Moroni helped the hosts, who were backed by a pre-match card display from Newcastle United fan group Wor Flags, hold a 14-8 advantage at the interval.
But Exeter duo Henry Slade and Josh Iosefa-Scott dotted down after the break to consign the Falcons to a seventh defeat in as many matches as their tough start to the campaign continued.
“I know the group are pretty crestfallen,” Newcastle head coach Codling said.
“Wor Flags before the game were amazing, the supporters care hugely and there’s no-one who wants to give them a win more than I do.
“But the bottom line is, when you show the courage and no little skill to go ahead 14-5, we should win that game.
Turnovers 
12
Turnovers Won
4
9
Turnovers Lost
16
“At the moment, we are making some basic errors that will kill you at any level – particularly the Premiership – and that’s not acceptable.
“It’s just the errors that are killing us. We’re a new group, we make mistakes and the big challenge is when you’ve got a settled group is to get back on the front foot.
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“We have a habit at the moment of making a mistake and compounding it with another one.
“Ultimately the statistics will prove – as does the naked eye – that when you lose the momentum and you keep doing it, you will concede.
“The size of the challenge is pretty clear and I’ll keep taking it head on.”
Chiefs raced out the blocks at Kingston Park and led inside 40 seconds through Immanuel Feyi-Waboso’s solo score.
Blamire and Moroni hit back inside a frantic opening seven minutes before Exeter turned the tables once more after half-time to earn their first Premiership away win for over a year.
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“We are not really looking at the whole 13 months [winless away in the Prem], it’s more this group coming together,” said head coach Ali Hepher.
“There’s obviously been a change in personnel, the young players coming into the side. We’ve been in the fight against Northampton and Harlequins but there were little experience errors there and things we’ve worked through.
“We controlled large parts of the game – the territory was all us the second half, but then we gave up ball, we didn’t convert in the five metres.
“How we clear a path for the ball needs to be improved. Falcons had a clear tactic to try and strip the ball, which they were very successful at.
“There are bits there we have to improve but game management-wise, we controlled the game, controlled territory.
“Hopefully we’re moving in the right direction and it’s nice to get that win.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
43 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
4 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
43 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
43 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
4 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
6 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
2 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
6 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to comments