The Newcastle Falcons certainly
left it fairly late to secure their Aviva Premiership place for the 2014/15
season however secure it they did. Now they are now bounding into the new season with a spring in their step and a number of new faces in their ranks.
The statistics from last season
don’t really do the Falcons justice, they recorded only one win at home and just
three in total, however within their losses they played some good rugby and showed many flashes of real inspiration. For Dean Richards the task is taking
these periods of inspiration and developing them into a solid and consistent 80 minute performances from
them.
The Falcons are under no illusions about the forthcoming season; it
will be a challenge however it is one that they feel they are ready for after an
intense summer of conditioning and refinement. In sport, at any level, belief
is a critical factor, the mind can be a powerful thing and it is something that
Captain Will Welch is acutely aware of. His focus is upwards and he has tasked his side to wholeheartedly believe in themselves
and their abilities.
With a brand spanking new pitch Newcastle are aspiring to continue
to develop their game plan, the aim is up tempo rugby showcasing an expansive
and exciting style of play. This game plan goes
back to that word again, belief, in order to play eyes up rugby you cannot be
afraid, you have to showcase a little swagger and ultimately back yourself from
one to fifteen. Competition for starting jerseys will help to pull out the best
in individuals during training and matches; I’ve certainly got my eye on the
half backs with Mike Blair and Warren Fury competing at Scrum Half and Phil
Godman and Rory Clegg at fly half. Up front the development of England’s Kieran
Brookes and Scotland’s Scott Lawson will be great to watch whilst the entrance
of Rob Hawkins adds further stability.
Of all Newcastle’s Summer Signings the most well known are the Tuilagi’s with Alesana and Anitelea joining the first team squad and Brian the academy. Alesana and Anitelea are likely to be thrown straight into the starting XV to face off against their younger brother Manu in just over a week’s time and I for one cannot wait to see what their impact will be in that game and over the course of the season.
Of all Newcastle’s Summer Signings the most well known are the Tuilagi’s with Alesana and Anitelea joining the first team squad and Brian the academy. Alesana and Anitelea are likely to be thrown straight into the starting XV to face off against their younger brother Manu in just over a week’s time and I for one cannot wait to see what their impact will be in that game and over the course of the season.
The Newcastle Falcons have an intense season ahead of them; from
the first block of games to the very last the pressure will be on however their
focus should be on the execution of their own game plan and increasing their
performance levels from week to week. After an extremely solid pre-season now
is the time for the Falcons to step into the Aviva Premiership ring, totally
fearless and simply go for broke.
