Inga Bows Out In Style

By Ridley Hall
May 8 2002

We knew it was going to be close but Inga the Winga was given the best possible send off with a 33-28 win for Falcons. He didn't score but that didn't matter as he played a full part in a victory which sees Falcons in with a real chance of a fourth place spot We are also now in the Heineken Cup!

Inga received a a rousing reception before kick off as he led out the Falcons side. He started at centtre with Tom May ruled out with his back injury but Dave Walder did make it after all with Botham switching to the wing

Yet again we started slowly and Irish opened up a 6-0 lead.

But then Jonny Wilkinson made a break and fed Jamie Noon who sprinted under the posts, leaving JW with a simple conversion.

Irish centre Rob Hoadley was shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Jonny who got his own back by scoring the penalty before Irish regained the lead again with two further pens from Everitt.

But Wilkinson was soon back in action feeding Stephenson for a spectacular solo try to make it 17-15 at half time.

At the restart the Irish were driven deep inside their own half by superb support play which set up Noon to wriggle under the posts for his second try. Wilkinson converted and then he got a penalty shortly after.

Irish came back and Chris Sheasby drove over and Everitt converted.

The margin was just 5 points and Jonny failed with a 45 metre penalty but then got his seventh to clinch the win. Phew!

Falcons 1 George Graham 2 Steve Brotherstone 3 Marius Hurter 4 Hugh Vyvyan 5 Stuart Grimes 6 Jon Dunbar [Pat Lam 57-66] [Andy Mower 75-77] 7 Rob Devonshire 8 Richard Arnold [Pat Lam 69] 9 Hall Charlton 10 Jonny Wilkinson 11 Liam Botham 12 Inga Tuigamala 13 Jamie Noon 14 Michael Stephenson 15 Dave Walder

IrishHorak, Sackey, Appleford, Hoadley [Venter 59], Bishop, Everitt, Edwards, Hatley [Wheatley 50], Kirke [Drotske 47], Halford [Hardwick 45], Strudwick, Fahrensohn [Delaney 50], Halvey, Pfister [Cockle 65]

Ref: Tony Spreadbury [Somerset]