DEAN RICHARDS is hoping Newcastle Falcons take full advantage of their improved form when they kick off a run of three successive Aviva Premiership matches tomorrow.

With attention switching back to domestic matters after a run of games in the European Challenge Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup, Falcons host Exeter at a packed Kingston Park ahead of future games against Northampton and Harlequins.

Whereas Dean Richards’ side spent most of last season battling in the bottom two positions in the table, a strong start to the current campaign sees ninth-placed Newcastle forming part of a congested mid-table that sees seven sides separated by just seven points.

Falcons have won two of their three Premiership home games, with the other witnessing a single-point defeat to Leicester, and for all that Exeter were Premiership finalists last season, Richards sees no reason why his side’s strong home form should not continue tomorrow.

“We are playing three good sides now in Exeter, Northampton and Harlequins, we are doing better than we have in previous years, and that is reflected in the way the crowd has been drawn in,” said Richards.

“The squad is improving, we have a lot of good young players coming through, and it creates a nice headache in the sense that guys are staking a genuine claim for places.

“We hadn’t won a game until the week after Christmas last year, so in that sense it is a totally different club altogether. There is a real buzz about the place, the boys are enjoying their rugby and we are playing a lot of ball in hand.”

A successful marketing campaign means Falcons are anticipating a crowd of more than 8,000 spectators tomorrow, with all fans receiving a free post-match curry.

“It really is an exciting time, and this is going to be an outstanding occasion,” said Richards. “I think we could upwards of 8,000 min here, which is nearly a sell-out, and there is no atmosphere like it when this place has that many supporters here.”

Falcons are without injured full-back Simon Hammersley, while Sonatane Takulua and Evan Olmstead are on international duty with Tonga and Canada respectively.

Fit-again Fijian Vereniki Goneva and former Leicester team-mate Opeti Fonua are ready to make an impact from the bench after recovering from injuries.

Newcastle Falcons: Tait, Watson, Waldouck, Socino, Sinoti, Delany, M Young; Lockwood, Lawson, Welsh, Green, Witty, M Wilson, Welch, Hogg.

Replacements: Nelson, Vickers, D Wilson, G Young, Fonua, Egerton, Hodgson, Goneva.