8:44PM, Fri Jun 29, 2012

Newcastle Falcons Relegated From Aviva Premiership

By James Craggs Location: Newcastle

Video: Falcons determined to bounce back after relegation

Newcastle Falcons have been relegated from the Aviva Premiership.

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The Falcons will be replaced by London Welsh.

Welsh had initially been denied the step up after it was deemed their proposed ground share with Oxford United to use the Kassam Stadium did not meet the 'minimum standards criteria' laid down by the Professional Game Board.

The Falcons finished bottom of the Premiership last season despite a late resurgence.

They had been given hope of a reprieve after Welsh were denied promotion having beaten Cornish Pirates in the Championship playoff final.

A possible legal challenge has been mooted but the Falcons cannot appeal the decision, taken by an independent panel compromising James Dingemans QC (chairman), Ian Mill QC and Tim Ward QC.

On taking legal action, commercial director Ducan Edward said:

"We will obviously take stock over the weekend, speak to our representatives and make a decision early next week."

The panel upheld London Welsh’s appeal that they should be allowed to ground share.

They had based their application for promotion on Saracens, Sale Sharks, London Irish and London Wasps, teams that all shared their home grounds with football club landlords, which the panel accepted.

The panel also rejected Newcastle’s claims that the Exiles’ agreement to use the Kassam Stadium had come too late.

Next season will be their first outside the top flight since they were promoted in 1997.

The new campaign will also be the Falcons' first under new director of rugby Dean Richards who joins the club on August 1 after the end of his two-year ban.

They will begin their season in the Championship with a game away at Bristol Rugby on the weekend of September 1.

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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