Forward stocks bolstered for Bath trip
Newcastle Falcons’ forward pack will be bolstered for Friday’s Aviva Premiership trip to Bath, lock Sean Robinson among the players available for selection after missing last weekend’s trip to Exeter Chiefs.
The Falcons are out for a repeat of the victory they achieved over Bath on January 2, Rob Vickers scoring the club’s only try in a 19-14 triumph.
Vickers is one of the forward cohort returning for the 7.45pm kick-off (live on BT Sport 2),director of rugby Dean Richards saying: “There will be a couple of boys back this week.
“Bobby Vickers and Taione Vea will both be available again in the front row, as will Sean Robinson in the second row.
“Sean brings organisation from a line-out perspective and a huge work rate. His understanding of the line-out is exceptionally good and we look forward to welcoming him back into the squad.”
Showing plenty of endeavour last week at Exeter but falling to a 32-17 loss thanks to two late tries, Richards said: “Defensively we were really good for large parts of the game.
“The possession stats were two thirds in their favour so we did a lot of defending, and it was the last 10 minutes where we struggled as a result of that and having a player in the sin bin. During that period it hit us hard, and sin-bins make a massive difference these days because the guys were worn down quite a bit.
“There were some tired bodies with the guys coming back in. Mike Delany was hanging towards the end, Sinoti Sinoti was as well but they need that game time. It won’t be long before they are back on a regular basis, and that is what it’s all about.”
Richards added: “Strength in depth is something we talk about every week, and the understanding that goes along with that. The more experience they have got the more they understand how we want to play, and the young boys will follow suit.
“Everything is falling into line, it just takes a little longer when you have as many injuries as we have had over the course of the season as a whole.
“The boys were really proud of the performance over the weekend. It is just the little things we have to tidy up on, and the beauty was the boys were disappointed because they felt they should have come away with something. They felt they should have had points of some description, but we didn’t quite get there.
“They are now looking at themselves asking how they can better this and improve. They are on the right road with that and they have the drive and passion to get out there and prove they can do it week in, week out.”
