Worcester deservedly end Falcons cup hopes
Worcester 31 Newcastle Falcons 16
NEWCASTLE Falcons European
Challenge Cup hopes were dashed
last night with Worcester booking
their place in the final as two
tries from Sam Tuitupou sounded
the curtain call on Jonny Wilkinson's
season.
The fly-half will now undergo a
shoulder surgery which will see
him ruled out of England's summer
Tests and the rest of the Falcons'
floundering Guinness Premiership
campaign.
Once again, Wilkinson and the
rest of Newcastle's star-studded
backline failed to shine in a game
interrupted by a floodlight failure
as a hungry Worcester side outmuscled
and outthought a lacklustre
Falcons pack.
The Warriors' first-half dominance
was rewarded with tries for
Marcel Garvey and Tuitupou before
scores after the break from
the New Zealand centre and replacement
Tom Wood gave the
home side a final berth against
the winners of tomorrow's clash
between Sale and Bath.
Newcastle acting director of
rugby Steve Bates spared no player
from Sunday's 53-10 Premiership
mauling by Sale with a completely
new starting XV, with
Wilkinson passed fit after concussion.
And it was Test rugby's record
points scorer who fizzed a pass out
to Toby Flood which gave winger
Tom May the opportunity to slot
a smoothly-taken drop goal.
The lead though was shortlived
as Worcester hit back after eight
minutes with Jamie Noon, so
often the one dishing out big hits,
finally taking a taste of his own
medicine.
As the ball was worked down
the Newcastle backline, Noon was
smashed by opposite number Dale
Rasmussen and Garvey was onto
the loose ball in a flash, evading
one tackle before diving over.
Drahm added the extras and the
Australian number 10 was then
inches away with a drop goal effort.
Newcastle were on the ropes as
Garvey carved through the Falcons
defence but he just failed to
find fellow wing Miles Benjamin
with his offload.
Scrum-half Matt Powell then
had a try ruled out by the video
referee for a knock-on but the
pressure did tell after 22 minutes
and again Garvey was at the heart
of the action.
The ball was beautifully worked
through the Warriors backs before
the former Gloucester man's
delicate chip allowed centre Tuitupou
a simple score - Drahm
converting to make it 14-3.
Newcastle's hopes took another
blow when Noon had to hobble off
after 32 minutes to be replaced by
Tim Visser but they did reduce
the deficit late in the half with a
Wilkinson penalty.
The second half belonged to
Worcester, however, who overcame
Falcons and a 15-minute
power failure to win.
9:44am Saturday 26th April 2008
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