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Newcastle Falcons host Bucharest Wolves at Kingston Park on Thursday night knowing qualification for the quarter-finals is no longer in their own hands. - 15/01/2014 10:03
Newcastle Falcons host Bucharest Wolves at Kingston Park on Thursday night knowing qualification for the quarter-finals is no longer in their own hands.
Dean Richards saw his side lose 9-7 to Brive at the same venue last week, a result that saw the French outfit take control of Pool 3.
A victory of any sorts would have seen Newcastle head into this week’s game knowing that a repeat against the Romanians would have guaranteed a place in the last eight for the first time since 2010 but they must now hope that Cammi Rugby Calvisano do them a favour in France.
Newcastle currently trail Brive by three points and will therefore only make it through to the last eight if they pick up four more match points than their rivals in Round 6. Calvisano came within a whisker of beating Brive in Italy in October but it would be a major shock if they were to slip up at the Stade Amedee-Domenech given that they have won all four European games since that 20-20 draw in Round 1.
Newcastle didn’t have it easy when they faced Bucharest at the Stadium Arcul de Triumf three months ago, with the Wolves leading for much of the match in the Romanian capital. Only a Tom Catterick penalty with four minutes remaining saved the Falcons’ blushes and denied Lyn Howells’ side a first win over English opposition.
Bucharest have since run Brive close on two occasions and won their back-to-back clashes with Calvisano by scorelines of 37-15 on home soil and 23-11 at the Peroni Stadium last time out.
Newcastle will have to keep their discipline if they are to avoid a shock defeat, with Bucharest centre Florin Vlaicu having scored 57 points in four starts and one replacement appearance, including a 27-point haul against Calvisano in Round 2.
Newcastle Falcons ended their Amlin Challenge Cup campaign with a three try
Newcastle Falcons ended their Amlin Challenge Cup campaign with a three try, 28-0 home triumph over the battling Bucharest Wolves, but it wasn’t enough to earn them a place in the quarter-finals.
Two defeats to Brive left them four points adrift of the French side in the end, the Top 14 outfit clinching top spot with a five try, 31-9 home triumph over Rugby Mogliano to clinch the Pool 3 slot in the last eight.
The Falcons knew they needed a full house of points to keep up the pressure on Brive and Ryan Shortland gave them the perfect start with a try within two minutes of the kick-off. Rory Clegg wasn’t able to add the conversion, but the outside half kept the scoreboard moving with two penalties.
Bucharest, who had lost to a last gasp try against the Falcons in the opening round, battled bravely, but conceded a penalty try on the stroke of half-time. Clegg’s conversion made it 18-0 at the break to the home side.
Clegg’s third penalty on 57 minutes increased the home advantage and then Bucharest lost two players to yellow cards in the space of four minutes, reducing them to 13 men for a period. Paula Kinikinilau was the first to go and then Constantin Pristavita followed suit as the pressure mounted.
Tom Catterick rounded off the scoring with a 74th minute try that Phil Godman converted, but it was too little too late for the Falcons in their bid to end on a high with five points.
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