Newcastle Falcons Beat Gloucester To Boost Aviva Premiership Survival Hopes

Newcastle boosted their survival hopes while inflicting a massive blow on Gloucester's bid for the top six with a shock win at Kingsholm.

Sky Bet

The Falcons' first league away win for almost 14 months was secured through tries by flanker Ally Hogg and replacement back-row forward Mark Wilson, while captain Jimmy Gopperth kicked 19 points.

Gloucester trailed 19-6 at the half but led by a point with nine minutes left, only for Newcastle to surge clear at the death, denying the hosts even a losing bonus point.

And Newcastle's hopes of survival were boosted further by the news that 11th-placed Wasps lost at Harlequins, leaving them just four points ahead of the Falcons with two games remaining.

Falcons and Wasps meet on the last day of the season, in what could be a relegation decider.

The Falcons made an encouraging start, taking a seventh-minute penalty when Gopperth found his range from 40 metres, and he doubled that advantage 11 minutes later as Gloucester struggled for rhythm.

Gopperth's second successful strike took him past 200 Premiership points for the season, yet Gloucester cut their deficit through a Freddie Burns penalty that closed an error-strewn opening quarter.

Newcastle, though, were composed and confident despite their alarming league position, and they enjoyed territorial supremacy against opponents lacking direction or desire.

Burns kicked Gloucester level, yet Newcastle then raised the stakes by scoring 13 unanswered points in an 11-minute spell.

Gopperth booted two more penalties as Gloucester continued to find themselves on the wrong side of referee Tim Wigglesworth, and then their defence was unlocked by the New Zealander.

Gloucester, having blown a try-scoring chance of their own through laboured passing, were forced onto the back foot by Newcastle's superior endeavour, and Gopperth found Hogg with a defence-splitting pass.

Scotland international Hogg touched down between the posts, and Gopperth's conversion gave the Falcons a 19-6 advantage as the Gloucester players trooped off with boos ringing in their ears.

And their return for the second period was only greeted by tepid applause after comfortably Gloucester's worst 40-minute effort at Kingsholm this season.

Foothold

Burns cut the gap to 10 points with another penalty, but Newcastle quickly rediscovered an attacking foothold courtesy of centre Jamie Helleur's powerful break.

Gloucester, somewhat predictably, could not clear possession away without conceding another penalty, yet Gopperth this time sent an angled strike wide, his first miss at the sixth attempt.

Newcastle's impressive defensive organisation frustrated a much-vaunted Gloucester back division. On the times it appeared Gloucester had an overlap, the Falcons always had at least one tackler in reserve.

Burns' fourth successful penalty brought Gloucester back to within striking range, and pressure began to assume relentless proportions before the Falcons finally cracked.

As they had done on several previous occasions, Gloucester moved possession wide in an attempt to break Newcastle down, and when the visitors finally ran out of defensive numbers, Akapusi Qera touched down.

Burns narrowly failed with a touchline conversion attempt, but Gloucester were back to just 19-17 behind, and then Burns slotted another penalty as the home side went ahead for the first time with nine minutes left.

But Newcastle were not to be denied and Gopperth edged them ahead through his fifth penalty after Gloucester centre Mike Tindall was whistled for shirt-pulling off the ball.

And Wilson then put Gloucester out of their misery when he stormed clear unopposed from a lineout, with Gopperth's conversion securing victory and giving them fresh hope of avoiding the drop.

Sky Go Additional Benefits

Related stories

Your comments

More from Newcastle Falcons

Related tags: Sport

Related tags: Rugby

Related tags: Rugbyunion

Related tags: Newcastle

Related tags: Falcons

The Championship

Pos Team P Pts
1 Newcastle Falcons 22 98
2 Nottingham 22 74
3 Bedford 22 71
4 Leeds Carnegie 22 67
5 Bristol 22 65

Fixtures & Results

April

British and Irish Cup Pool 4 - Fri 5
FT Newcastle - Nottingham
The Championship - Sat 13
FT Plymouth Albion - Newcastle
The Championship - Fri 19
P Newcastle P-P Bristol
The Championship - Sat 20
FT Newcastle 14-19 Bristol
British and Irish Cup Pool 4 - Sat 27
FT Bedford 15-18 Newcastle

May

The Championship - Mon 6
FT Leeds Carnegie 24-19 Newcastle
The Championship - Sun 12
FT Newcastle 15-6 Leeds Carnegie
British and Irish Cup Pool 4 - Fri 17
AET Newcastle 17-18 Leinster
- After Extra Time
The Championship - Thu 23
19:45 Bedford - Newcastle
The Championship - Wed 29
19:45 Newcastle - Bedford

Related Links