
TAIT PREVIEWS WASPS TRIP
Newcastle Falcons are guaranteed their Premiership status regardless of their own result if Worcester Warriors fail to win at Saracens. But the 26-year-old full-back is taking nothing for granted and is itching to record a welcome win against seventh placed Wasps.
“Our focus is on getting points down at Wasps and taking care of things ourselves,” said the former Barnard Castle pupil.
“I don’t like relying on other results – it is going to be difficult for Worcester down at Saracens but we’ve seen London Irish go to Allianz Park and get a result this season.
“I never take anything for granted until it is mathematically impossible and I’ve seen stranger things happen in this league,” he added.
Tait is no stranger to being in Worcester’s position having experienced the relegation dogfight of 2012 when the Falcons defeated Wasps of all clubs on the final day of the campaign, a result which ultimately still sent the Kingston Park club down to the RFU Championship.
“You look at where we were at this stage of the season a couple of years ago, and we were fighting tooth and nail for everything and almost pulled off the unthinkable and survived,” said Tait.
He added: “Worcester will be doing exactly the same and they will be absolutely pumped up for the last two games of the season, and I wouldn’t write anyone off at this moment in time.
“If we take care of our own business it doesn’t matter what anyone does.”
The Falcons have endured a difficult first season back in English rugby’s top-flight, and after securing three wins before Christmas against Sale Sharks, Worcester Warriors and London Irish, there was an air of optimism in the North East. However, Dean Richards’ men failed to kick-on with Tait saying: “The season has been a bit of a slog to be honest despite us making a decent start and unfortunately we haven’t been able to get a win for quite a while now.
“We have been going into these games in a positive frame of mind, and we have been in a lot of tough games with hardly anything in it between either side. If we had maybe got the rub of the green in some of those matches then the result may have been different.
“We are going into these last two games full of excitement and we are keen to get a couple of wins to make things look more respectable in the league table to where we are at the minute.”
Newcastle come into this weekend’s penultimate clash of the season on the back of picking up a losing bonus point at home to high-flying Saracens. Tait was the catalyst for Warren Fury’s try three minutes from time which secured a precious point.
The academy product, who along with fellow Premiership No.15’s Mike Brown, Ben Foden and Chris Pennell, have all had solid campaigns, was tackled short of the line before Fury sniped his way over the line.
Tait said: “We put in a good performance against Saracens and played some decent rugby, but we still lost the game albeit we got the losing bonus point, but personally I want to be winning games.”
The Falcons’ next home match is against Exeter on Saturday 10 May with tickets still available by calling 0871 226 6060 or [click here][1] to purchase online (kick-off 3.15pm).
[1]: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/newcastle-falcons/details/event.aspx?itemref=2540