Newcastle Falcons vs Northampton Programme

ALL OUR YESTERDAYS
ALL OUR
YESTERDAYS
Kingsley Hyland’s stroll
through the club archives
continues, looking back at
key moments in our history.
25 YEARS AGO – OCTOBER 31, 1998
NEWCASTLE FALCONS 43-12
SARACENS
The last match as part of the failed experiment of playing
home games at the Gateshead Stadium saw probably the best
performance of an otherwise disappointing season for the
Falcons.
Visitors Saracens had been the bookies’ favourites for
the Premiership after running the Falcons so close the
previous season, but they were overwhelmed by a dominant
performance by the Falcons’ pack in front of a crowd of 4,832.
The Falcons raced into a ten-point lead after Jonny Wilkinson
opened the scoring with a penalty on 15 minutes followed
six minutes later by a try from Richard Horton, on as a blood
replacement for Ross Nesdale, converted by Wilkinson.
On 36 minutes Garath Archer stole a Sarries lineout enabling
Tony Underwood to cut inside, evade a number of attempted
tackles and score between the posts - Wilkinson’s conversion
giving the ‘home’ side a 17-0 lead at half-time.
The visitors threatened a comeback four minutes into the
second half when a misunderstanding between Wilkinson and
Gary Armstrong allowed Gavin Johnson to run in from his own
half. Johnson converted his own try to reduce the deficit to
ten points.
The antagonism between the two sides, carried over from two
tightly-fought games the previous season, spilled over two
minutes later when renowned pugilists Richard Arnold and
Danny Grewcock exchanged punches and were invited to cool
off in the sin-bin for ten minutes.
Any chance of a Sarries comeback was snuffed out on 56
minutes as the Falcons went through the phases, allowing
Wilkinson to slip a delightful short pass to Underwood, who
crossed for his second try, Wilkinson converting for 24-7.
Three minutes later Saracens were again reduced to 14 men
when, in the course of a mass brawl in the middle of the field,
lock Troy Coker was spotted by a touch-judge re-shaping Ian
Peel’s nose and was shown a red card by referee Chris White.
On 64 minutes Armstrong stood up opposite number Kyran
Bracken to score from 30 metres, Wilkinson again converting
to stretch the lead to 31-7.
With seven minutes of normal time remaining Underwood
completed his hat-trick after Inga Tuigamala had intercepted
a pass in his own half and fed Martin Shaw, who in turn fed
Wilkinson, who sent out a sumptuous long pass to Underwood
for the score, which Wilkinson could not improve.
There was still time for the impressive Shaw to get on the
score sheet with the best of the six tries following some
intricate play from the backs. Rob Andrew converted to take
the lead out to 43-7.
Six minutes into added time Jim Naylor was denied a try
for a double movement, and the final action of an eventful
afternoon saw Richard Hill cross for a consolation try.
The teams that day were:
Newcastle: S.Legg; V.Tuigamala; M.Shaw; R.Andrew;
T.Underwood (rep. J.Naylor 76); J.Wilkinson (rep. P.Massey 80);
G.Armstrong; G.Graham; R.Nesdale (rep. R.Horton 63); I.Peel;
G.Archer; D.Weir; P.Walton (rep. R.Beattie 41); R.Arnold (rep.
S.O’Neill 72); D.Ryan (capt).
Saracens: G.Johnson; R.Constable; S.Ravenscroft; J.Thompson
(rep. B.Taylor 60); R.Wallace; A.Penaud; K.Bracken; A.Olver;
G.Chuter; W. de Jonge; T.Coker; D.Grewcock; F.Pienaar (rep.
P.Johns 35); R.Hill; T.Diprose (capt).
46
Gary Armstrong