MAXIME MERMOZ has achieved some notable things in his career, winning two Europeans Cups and three French titles, and the Newcastle Falcons centre is hoping for another memorable month as he targets two more pieces of silverware.

Falcons take on Exeter Chiefs in the semi-final of the Anglo-Welsh Cup on Sunday, with the winners set to face either Bath or Northampton in the final the following weekend.

March will also see the club host a European Challenge Cup quarter-final at Kingston Park, as well as play an Aviva Premiership game against Northampton at St James’ Park.

More than 20,000 tickets have already been sold for the game at the home of Newcastle United, ensuring Falcons will set a new record attendance for one of their home games, and with the club riding high in fourth position in the Premiership, things are looking bright.

“I think we will raise the bar even higher for the next few weeks,” said Mermoz, who is a former France international. “This could be a big month in the history of the club with some of the games we have coming up like The Big One at St James’ Park, a European Challenge Cup quarter-final against Brive on Good Friday and hopefully an Anglo-Welsh Cup final next weekend.”

Falcons have already had their best season in almost 20 years, surpassing last season’s total of 49 league points with five Premiership games to go and positioning themselves as genuine contenders for a place in the play-offs.

Boasting the best away record in the division with six wins from nine on the road, Dean Richards’ side have already proved they are capable of beating last season’s champions once this season. As a result, they will head to Exeter’s Sandy Park with a spring in their step.

“People might say we go down to Exeter full of confidence, but for me we go down to Exeter with a smile,” said Mermoz. “I think that’s important, and although the boys are working very hard in training, we are also having a good laugh and enjoying what we are doing. We work to win, and we’re playing without a fear of losing. I think that’s the biggest thing - we’re just playing to win.

“It’s a big difference, and throughout my career it has always been a big thing to enjoy what you’re doing. Sometimes you lose even when you work hard, and that’s just life, but if you keep smiling and keep enjoying the effort you are putting in you are in a much better position to find those positive results.

“Exeter are a famously strong team and they showed last weekend that they can win against the European champions, Saracens, so with that in mind we’re not going there with any sense of over-confidence.

“We just have a very simple mind-set of thinking about what we have to do. We have worked on our own game this week rather than analysing Exeter too much and in play-off rugby that has to be the mentality. Just think about how you are going to win the game, then go out and do it.”

Mermoz has featured more prominently for Falcons in recent weeks, and the 31-year-old played for an hour of last weekend’s 21-20 triumph at Gloucester, when Newcastle became the first visiting team to win at Kingsholm all season in the Premiership.

“I started pre-season really well, I felt very good and I was 100 per fit,” he said. “I was very excited to start the season feeling in such good shape, but unfortunately in September I had a balance problem which was something to do with my ear. It meant I had a lot of time away from the field, and even though I continued to train, I was not 100 per cent. Everything isn’t completely fixed yet, but I feel quite a bit better, and things seem to be settling down for me at last.

“It was exciting to get back into the squad after such a long time out, and I really enjoyed it. I got 20 minutes to start with, then another 20 and another 20, and then last weekend at Gloucester I was on the field for 60 minutes following (Sinoti) Sinoti’s injury. It wasn’t perfect, but I have a better sensation, I train better and I am starting to play better.”