SEVENTH HEAVEN FOR RICHARDS
The Falcons chief watched on as his troops ran in four tries to secure a bonus point win, and make it seven wins out of seven in the RFU Championship.
Teenage sensation Zach Kibirige scored the pick of the tries, intercepting a pass inside his own 22 before sprinting 80-metres clear to cross the whitewash.
The Yarm School pupil, who was making his league debut, enjoyed the adulation of his boss following the game.
Richards said: “I was delighted for Zach, who scored a lovely individual try. As he showed with that score he has got serious wheels, but he has a step too.
“For such a young lad he has got absolutely fantastic ability, but the key is not to throw him in at the deep end too often and too soon.
“We need to ease him in, and I was a little bit wary before Friday’s game because it was one of those where it might have been too big an ask so soon for him.
“As it turned out he took it all in his stride, and he coped extremely well with everything that was thrown at him.”
Played in blizzard conditions, the northeasterners kept their composure to add another maximum-point haul to their tally for the season.
“Against strong opposition it was a very pleasing result,” said Richards, who now prepares his outfit for next weekend’s blockbuster at Bedford Blues.
He added: “Rotherham have a lot of big boys in their side, but also some pace and quality. From my point of view it is important we turn in the performances against the better teams in the division like them, and to a large extent did that.
“On occasion our clear-outs were not as clinical as we could be and that led to pressure on Rory Lawson at scrum-half, but he dealt with that reasonably well.
“Once we got into our stride things started to happen for us.”
Bedford lie in wait for the Falcons next, a side that are licking their wounds after yesterday’s 23-13 defeat at Bristol.
