The unthinkable becomes ever more likely. Newcastle claimed their sixth away win of the season to strengthen their position in the top four, a new face among the usual suspects at the top of the English game. They rode the worst of the Beast From You Know Where and the loss of Toby Flood on the day to confound a Gloucester team who have designs themselves on those unfamiliar uplands – and did not have to travel the length of the country to gain them. Gloucester came away with two bonus points but will bemoan the failure of the Billies, Burns and Twelvetrees, to land any of the conversions of their four tries.
Newcastle rode a storm to become the first team to win here in the Premiership this season. Gloucester came at them throughout, their powerful carriers Jason Woodward and the magnificent Jake Polledri making hay, but notwithstanding their four tries, 20 points felt meagre return. Newcastle rode the blows and were far smarter, their two tries – one created by Micky Young, the other scored by him – proving enough with the goal-kicking of Joel Hodgson to nick the win.
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Newcastle would have been forgiven if they had struggled to hit the cold ground running. Their flight from the north-east on Friday had been cancelled, so they had journeyed the old-fashioned way, by coach. No sooner had they arrived than Dean Richards et al adopted shovels in the 36-hour campaign to clear Kingsholm and its surrounds of snow.
“We had a lot of disruptions this week with the snow in Northumberland,” said Richards. “Then, last night, Bobby Vickers’s wife gave birth, so he had to shoot back. Toby Flood dropped out. Such is the strength of character of the boys, it doesn’t faze them. We couldn’t win a game away from home four or five years ago. But the older the boys get, the more experienced they get.”
Gloucester played a full part. Woodward, a ball of energy throughout, notched the first try with a brilliant chip and chase after Hodgson’s early penalty for the visitors. But within five minutes Young had taken Willi Heinz’s up and under and drifted past both Gloucester props to send Ally Hogg galloping to the posts. Two further penalties from Hodgson opened up a 16-5 lead at the break.
Gloucester’s game seemed in decent working order but infuriating errors scuppered the good work. David Halaifonua, who had seen yellow in the first half, finished powerfully after Woodward released him for Gloucester’s second. A knock-on in the buildup was missed by the officials but Gloucester undid that little break by conceding again within a few minutes, Young ghosting through for a try of his own this time, after Will Welch stole ball at a neglected breakdown.
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The home team then committed themselves to a policy of turning down kicks at goal, these rather easier than the ones Burns had been missing. Finally, it paid off in the final quarter when they hammered to within inches of the line before unleashing Mark Atkinson on what remained of the Falcons’ defence. He made short work of it but Burns missed the conversion for a third time, this one hitting the post.
Still Gloucester came. The next penalty was sent to the corner, where Lewis Ludlow’s try, four minutes from time, pulled Gloucester to within a point. Up stepped Twelvetrees. His conversion attempt was, like Burns’s, from wide out – and like Burns’s, it was missed.
When Twelvetrees forced a forward pass as he fell to the floor with a minute to play, Gloucester’s hopes had gone. The Falcons took their time at the final scrum and sent the ball high into the stand – and their status higher still among the elite.