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Newcastle Falcons lead Challenge Cup Pool 1 and host second place Bordeaux-Bègles on Saturday at Kingston Park. This will be the fourth meeting between the clubs
Newcastle Falcons lead Challenge Cup Pool 1 and host second place Bordeaux-Bègles on Saturday at Kingston Park. This will be the fourth meeting between the clubs, with three previous fixtures all going the way of the Falcons, including a one-point win in Round 2.
· Falcons have lost just three times at home since the beginning of the 2011/12 season, winning 13 of their 16 games in that period.
· Bordeaux won their first game away to Aviva Premiership opposition back in 1996/97 and their most recent such game in 2014/15, however, they lost nine in a row between those two fixtures.
· Newcastle’s Adam Radwan has beaten 16 defenders this season, the only player to beat more than 10 after two rounds.
· Matthieu Jalibert is the only player to make over 200 metres this season, gaining 217 metres from his 14 carries.
Newcastle Falcons raced in eight tries in a emphatic 52-24 victory over Bordeaux-Begles in European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 1 at Kingston Park on Saturday. - 09/12/2017 17:36
Newcastle Falcons raced in eight tries in a emphatic 52-24 victory over Bordeaux-Begles in European Rugby Challenge Cup Pool 1 at Kingston Park on Saturday.
- In a game featuring 11 tries in total, Newcastle Falcons were dominant in the North East of England with Adam Radwan claiming a brace, while Calum Green, Mark Wilson, Alex Tait, Ben Sowrey, Josh Matavesi and Craig Willis all got their names on the scoresheet as the hosts took a four-point lead in Pool 1.
- In thrilling opening exchanges Newcastle Falcons lock Green broke the deadlock, only for Bordeaux-Begles scrum-half Yann Lesgourgues to hit back two minutes later for the visitors, yet the hosts restored control a couple of minutes after through Radwan's first score of the match.
- Bordeaux-Begles then moved into the lead thanks to a penalty and try from fly-half Mathieu Jalibert, who converted his own score to give the visitors a 17-12 lead.
- Flanker Wilson drew Newcastle Falcons back level and the conversion from Willis put the hosts back in front, before Sowrey added his name to the scoreboard, before Willis himself completed a stunning 100-metre team try on the verge on half time.
- Newcastle began the second period with a healthy 38-17 advantage, but Geoffrey Cros drew first blood for Bordeaux-Begles as they claimed the first try of the second half, but the hosts ran rampant late on as winger Tait and centre Matavesi stormed home to ensure the Falcons soared to the Pool 1 summit.
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