Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
By Leipziger
February 20 2015
Some musings from the dark side (the living room sofa) tonight:
1) Scorchino. We’ve already seen that Juan Pablo Socino can be creative and tricky, but I think that’s the first time I’ve seen his raw pace on a big run. To beat Christian Wade over such a distance is something not too many players could do, so JP deserves a lot of credit for a brilliant finish as well as creating the try in the first place by reading Andy Goode’s pass that he intercepted. It just capped an excellent performance from the Argentine.
2) Hadrian’s Wall. Many teams would have buckled under the intense pressure put on us by Wasps in a ten-minute period in the second half tonight, but the mighty Falcons stood firm and were equal to everything the southerners could throw at them. To then score a breakaway try and go seven points ahead must have been a massive confidence boost – maybe too much so as Wasps quickly equalised, but take nothing away from an epic defensive effort from the Falcons.
3) Reffin’ great. Socino wasn’t the only JP who can be pretty pleased with his performance tonight; referee JP Doyle also had a really good game I thought. The game flowed for the most part, he missed very few big moments (and none that were of consequence really, bar a potential forward pass back in the build-up to a Wasps try), and just always seemed to be smiling and enjoying himself, which fed into an empathy for the match. I’d love to know who Doyle’s “I’m ignoring him!” was referring to though!
4) Points make prizes. With seven games left we now have 23 points, one more than in the whole of last season. It just goes to show what can happen when you put some belief into the team and go out to attack and win games on merit, rather than defending and hoping to win by sheer luck. Long may it continue!
5) It’s just not the same! I’m not quite able to get to as many Falcons games as I used to these days, and watching on TV just isn’t the same. The nerves are still there, there’s still plenty of excitement when there is reason to get excited. But you just don’t get caught up in the atmosphere, everything that goes into a matchday, from the smell of beer and chips to the (sometimes very cold!) fresh air. There’s a feeling of impotence when you want to sing or shout at a certain moment, but you know that it won’t make any difference, whereas if you were at the ground then it help. I need to rectify this situation. For now though, I can’t wait to get down to Saracens next week!
Player ratings: Hammersley 7 (Tiesi 7), Sinoti 9, Powell 6, Socino 9, Tait 7, Catterick 7, Blair 8, Vickers 6, Hawkins 5 (McGuigan 6), Brookes 7 (S Wilson 6), Furno 8, Barrow 7 (Thompson 6), M Wilson 7, Welch 7, Hogg 6 (Mayhew 6).
Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: FalconsRugby.org.uk (IP Logged)
Date: 20/02/2015 22:58
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Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Osric (IP Logged)
Date: 20/02/2015 23:15
We could and should have won. We look threatening with ball in hand and look vulnerable when we kick it to them. Will we ever learn?
The scrum looked good, especially when Scott came on.
Highlight of tonight was seeing decent numbers there despite TV and it being a cool night.
Well done Falcons
The scrum looked good, especially when Scott came on.
Highlight of tonight was seeing decent numbers there despite TV and it being a cool night.
Well done Falcons
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: alas (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 01:13
Wasps are Midlanders now. Thought Furno mwas also worth 9. Tremendous workrate and mobility.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: wombles222 (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 01:30
You may of won, but then we could well of won to.
Well done for an entertaining game, but your mental fragility still exists when you turn over ball at the death with the scores tied and then kick it dead deliberately. That one act showed more about your ambition and confidence than the rest of the game combined.
Well done for an entertaining game, but your mental fragility still exists when you turn over ball at the death with the scores tied and then kick it dead deliberately. That one act showed more about your ambition and confidence than the rest of the game combined.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: markismith50 (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 03:32
The "I'm ignoring him" was for an injured player, Brookes I think, who wanted the game stopped but JP played on while he was getting treatment.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Leipziger (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 07:42
Wombles: "our mental fragility still exists when you turn over ball at the death with the scores tied and then kick it dead deliberately"
We were deep in our own half and could so easily have conceded a kickable penalty. If it had been deep in Wasps' half I doubt we'd have kicked out. I expect Wasps would have done the same thing on their own 22.
Just thinking back though, we turned over with the clock on 80 but didn't kick it dead immediately, rather we worked a position to do so. Better than panicking and perhaps conceding a turnover or a penalty, so perhaps minds weren't quite so fragile.
We were deep in our own half and could so easily have conceded a kickable penalty. If it had been deep in Wasps' half I doubt we'd have kicked out. I expect Wasps would have done the same thing on their own 22.
Just thinking back though, we turned over with the clock on 80 but didn't kick it dead immediately, rather we worked a position to do so. Better than panicking and perhaps conceding a turnover or a penalty, so perhaps minds weren't quite so fragile.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Happy Hooker (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 08:38
Agree Leipy. Wasps would have done exactly the same thing if they'd been stuck in their own 22. My only concern was that we went through a couple of phases before booting the ball off the field!
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: steve1888 (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 08:39
Agreed, level score possession in own 22 against most attacking side in the league and you're 11th in the table then kicking out is definitely the correct decision.
Agree about point 5 leipy although great viewing on tv would have much preferred to be at KP and having to miss saracens too due to back problem.
Agree about point 5 leipy although great viewing on tv would have much preferred to be at KP and having to miss saracens too due to back problem.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Monkey1 (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 09:04
We discussed the ending on the way home & in those particular circumstances it was definitely right to end the game there & then, and any astute team captain would have made the same decision. To view that as 'mental fragility' is downright bizarre.
Good to see Doyle getting a bit of praise. Lots of comments about that being a cracking game and that is partly down to good refereeing, allowing both sides to play rugby & letting it flow. I have no idea what he said to the teams about scrums before the game but it worked, both sides actually competing properly in the scrums & getting the ball out instead of endless resets & penalties.
Good to see Doyle getting a bit of praise. Lots of comments about that being a cracking game and that is partly down to good refereeing, allowing both sides to play rugby & letting it flow. I have no idea what he said to the teams about scrums before the game but it worked, both sides actually competing properly in the scrums & getting the ball out instead of endless resets & penalties.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Osric (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 09:40
Agree. Definitely the right thing to do in terms of percentages. Chances of getting out of our half with a score looked slim.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: AFalcon24 (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 10:07
Big fan of Doyle for me one of the most underrated refs in the league I think. 
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: alchemist (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 10:11
I wonder if J P Doyle will be receiving a pitch repair bill after his attempts to scratch marks in the 'turf' at each scrum :-)
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: pityacker (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 10:38
I was shouting at Doyle when he was tearing at the plastic pitch with his studs attempting to mark it for scrum time the buffoon.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Leipziger (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 10:55
Quote:steve1888
Agree about point 5 leipy although great viewing on tv would have much preferred to be at KP and having to miss saracens too due to back problem.
I can sympathise, I hurt my back last Saturday and have been off work most of the week, hope yours gets better soon as mine has. Mrs L had a good laugh though at my yelping while trying to lie on the sofa for the England game!
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Monkey1 (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 10:58
I cannot understand why referees still try to scrape a mark in artificial pitches. Surely they must know by now that it doesn't work yet they still dig away like the Royal Engineers preparing defences at the Somme. They should be provided with some sort of marker instead. A concrete kerb stone would do the job, or a pot of Johnson's Baby Powder.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Leipziger (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 11:01
Quote:Monkey1
I cannot understand why referees still try to scrape a mark in artificial pitches. Surely they must know by now that it doesn't work yet they still dig away like the Royal Engineers preparing defences at the Somme. They should be provided with some sort of marker instead. A concrete kerb stone would do the job, or a pot of Johnson's Baby Powder.
The vanishing spray that football referees use would be good. Put a spot between the hookers and if the ball doesn't hit it, then it's a crooked feed. Of course players would try to get it to bounce towards their own team but it's a start.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Monkey1 (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 11:17
Another random thought this morning is that Oirish are getting a great player for next season. Goode was a pleasure to watch, and I think Wasps may be making a mistake as he showed the sort of class that comes with being part of a team for a very long time, no replacement can bring that.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: davietoon (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 11:57
Goode did play well last night however, I also think Wasps will be better with Jimmy G at 10
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: RossM (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 12:01
If I had a gripe with JP Doyle's reffing, it is I thought he called "use it" too quickly, particularly with the rolling maul. But then I would, because I'm a Waspie Well played you guys, you certainly have recovered from the previous weeks debacle. However, we did look like a side who's previous game was just 5 days ago 
“This machine kills fascists”
Woody Guthrie's guitar.
Well played you guys, you certainly have recovered from the previous weeks debacle. However, we did look like a side who's previous game was just 5 days ago “This machine kills fascists”
Woody Guthrie's guitar.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Monkey1 (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 12:16
Quote:RossM
If I had a gripe with JP Doyle's reffing, it is I thought he called "use it" too quickly, particularly with the rolling maul....(
Different things appeal to different people. I commented during the game that it was good to see a ref keeping things moving for a change. We usually complain about the opposite, when a maul hasn't moved for so long that cobwebs have started to form, yet the ref still hasn't said anything (but only when the opposition has the ball of course).
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Leipziger (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 12:37
Lots of teams play on Sunday then Friday, I imagine Wasps have done it themselves lots over the years. They knew this game was likely to be on Friday at the start of the season, then it was fixed for TV a couple of months ago, they could have planned last week's home game accordingly if they wanted to. I don't think it's a great excuse from Dai Young.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: pityacker (IP Logged)
Date: 21/02/2015 14:04
Regarding Goode and how he played a number of posters on their website thought he was very poor last night even looking forward to a change.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Raggs (IP Logged)
Date: 22/02/2015 09:36
We can't change our home games easily due to the football.
Dai was probably hoping to have a smaller injury list, allowing for much great rotation, as it was, no such luck, rather the opposite.
Dai was probably hoping to have a smaller injury list, allowing for much great rotation, as it was, no such luck, rather the opposite.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Monkey1 (IP Logged)
Date: 22/02/2015 10:30
We get the message. You put out your 3rd team reserves & they were knackered from just having played already.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: Raggs (IP Logged)
Date: 22/02/2015 10:46
Not at all, that was as close to a 1st team as we could reasonably have hoped given the internationals (well, except 12). However, there may have been a few different names due to the 5 day turnaround, if we'd not had the injuries. Whether then a team without as many 1st choice names could have won would have been just as big a question.
As it was, even without the turnaround, I don't think it would have been a walk in the park. Falcons have looked extremely good recently. I just hope you keep playing this way next season.
As it was, even without the turnaround, I don't think it would have been a walk in the park. Falcons have looked extremely good recently. I just hope you keep playing this way next season.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: alas (IP Logged)
Date: 22/02/2015 17:05
I don't know why Wasps are making such a fuss about the turnaround. It's not as if the Falcons had a full week either. They played tougher opposition less than 24 hours earlier and had an almost 400 mile journey home.
Re: Five thoughts from Newcastle v Wasps
Posted by: citizen-slacker (IP Logged)
Date: 23/02/2015 10:06
Quote:Leipy
watching on TV just isnt the same. The nerves are still there, theres still plenty of excitement when there is reason to get excited. But you just dont get caught up in the atmosphere, everything that goes into a matchday, from the smell of beer and chips to the (sometimes very cold!) fresh air. Theres a feeling of impotence when you want to sing or shout at a certain moment, but you know that it wont make any difference, whereas if you were at the ground then it help. I need to rectify this situation.
I heartily agree, especially given that during the TV build up Simpson made comment that Wasps were going to try and silence the crowd in the first ten minutes, I miss the challenge of trying to gee things up from the back of the choir stand. We shall endeavor to be there for Tigs.
As for Doyle, me & the father-in-law both groaned when we saw it was JP in the middle, but he was spot on. Interesting in light of previous discussions about scrum put ins that he made the mark north-south as opposed to the (for me anyway) usual east-west mark.
A fair result, and a very entertaining watch to boot.
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