Richards: 'Mathematically, we've still got a chance... but it is what it is'
Newcastle boss Dean Richards concedes his side are staring relegation in the face after a “frustrating” 31-17 defeat by Northampton at Kingston Park.
The Falcons battled back from 24-3 down to 24-17 but conceded a late Alex Mitchell try to be denied even a losing a bonus point and if Leicester win Saturday and Worcester win on Sunday, Newcastle will be relegated.
Richards was left to wonder what might have been after seeing his men suffer a 14th defeat of the campaign. “It was a little bit like the last game against Leicester, wasn’t it,” said the Newcastle director of rugby.
“We lacked intensity and we lacked accuracy in the first half. We came back in the second half and had we shown a little more accuracy we would have probably been in front. And then we tried a little bit too hard at the end which gave them that try to finish us off – that first half killed us.
“It is frustrating. We played with a little bit more endeavour and heart in the second half, but it is very frustrating as we had lineouts in key positions to get us try-scoring opportunities and we couldn’t even nail them – that’s the most frustrating thing.
REACTION: Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards admitted Friday’s 31-17 home loss to Northampton Saints was a bitter blow to their Gallagher Premiership survival hopes https://t.co/ameg4hjMlq pic.twitter.com/8OpW3vka4O
— Newcastle Falcons (@FalconsRugby) April 26, 2019
“Mathematically, we’ve still got a chance but we’ve now got to go down to Gloucester and get five points there and then get five points against Bristol here. It is what it is and if Worcester win on Sunday and Leicester win Saturday then it’s good night us.
“People wrote us off six games ago and had we won against Leicester and Northampton we wouldn’t be sitting here talking about relegation, we would probably have been talking about something else.”
Tom Collins’ first-half hat-trick and Mitchell’s late strike gave Northampton a five-point bonus win and director of rugby Chris Boyd was more than happy with his side’s performance. “We’re delighted we had three tries in the bag before half-time, and we’re delighted to come here and get five points,” he said.
'Being an outpost up north, it’s really important to keep pushing rugby because it’s something that sits behind football and it forever will'
– @tobyflood tells @heagneyl why @FalconsRugby must win their Premiership fight for survival ? https://t.co/2zgj8xt63I
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 25, 2019
“The way they were defending and the way we holding through the middle we knew we were going to get some chances on the outside, and Tom Collins has pretty tricky feet and he’s pretty quick. We knew that if we got him into space we’d get some good return on that.
“In the second half they defended further up and that space disappeared, and it also disappeared because we weren’t getting any front-foot ball and they were much more aggressive at the breakdown.
“We’re just very pleased to get the points here and we’ve got Worcester at home next week which is our last game at home and we’d like to finish the the season positively at Franklin’s Gardens. We’ll concentrate on that and what will be will be.”
– Press Association
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Comments on RugbyPass
Wouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
49 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
49 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
49 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
49 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
49 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
49 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
49 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
49 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
49 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
49 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
49 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to comments