Walder praises Falcons’ attacking ambition
The Londoners ended up 40-31 winners despite Newcastle leading going into the closing ten minutes, Walder saying: “I’m proud of the lads for the way we fought back into the game, but obviously disappointed that we couldn’t hold on.
“The way the game ebbed and flowed we were never really in total control of it, and we were probably hanging in there at times.
“We did well to battle back and take the lead, and as I say it’s just a sense of disappointment about the fact we couldn’t see it through right at the end.”
Tries from Alex Dombrandt and Joe Marchant proved the difference in a dramatic climax to the game, Walder saying: “Quins are a brilliant team and they play a great brand of rugby with some exciting runners.
“Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and just admit it’s good rugby from the opposition, but on the same note there were a couple of their tries where we’re disappointed that we let them in with a few mental switch-offs.
“There were a lot of positives from the game, though.
“I thought Phil Brantingham coped brilliantly against two really good tight-heads, and Josh Barton on his debut played well. Ben Stevenson making his 50th appearance for the club was a nice milestone, and there are a number of things we can be happy with despite the result. We’ve just got to make sure we build on them next week.”
Asked about the moment at the end of the game where Adam Radwan’s attempted offload near his own try-line saw Quins mopping up the loose ball to deny Newcastle a second bonus point, Walder said: “Quins defended it brilliantly.
“They’d seen how dangerous he was, thought they needed to shut him down early and ultimately it was a great defensive read from them.
“Radders might be beating himself up about it in the changing room, but we’ve said to the players ‘if it’s on, it’s on.’
“We’d rather they go for the win than sit on a bonus point, and I thought Radders was outstanding in a lot of what he did today. If the offload sticks, we go 90 metres to score the winner and he’s a hero. It didn’t, but the players have got the licence to have a go and I’m certainly not going to criticise him for it.”
Asked for his overall reflections, the former England fly-half added: “We’ve got a try bonus point against a good side, and the reality is it’s going to take time to get to a level with everything we’re trying to implemenent, before it becomes the norm. But today was the start in terms of a mind-set and the attitude the lads have shown, which I thought was outstanding.
“It’s been a short pre-season and a few of the lads are possibly undercooked from where we want them to be, but we fought well and hung in there despite ultimately not quite being able to see it home.”
Newcastle Falcons’ next home game is on Tuesday September 27 when Sale Sharks visit Kingston Park in the Premiership Rugby Cup.
[**Click here to buy tickets for the 7.45pm kick-off.**][1]
[1]: https://www.eticketing.co.uk/newcastle-falcons/EDP/Event/Index/1787
