NEWCASTLE Falcons are back with the big boys and if the J.P. Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s Series is anything to go by then they mean business too after booking themselves a finals spot.

Relegation not only condemned Newcastle to the Championship for a season but also cost them the chance to defend their J.P. Morgan Premiership Rugby 7s crown, which they won in 2011 after beating Saracens in the final.

And Newcastle look determined to get back their title as they beat Northampton Saints, Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks at Franklin's Gardens last night to secure safe passage to the Series Final at the Rec on August 9 as group winners.

They will be joined by Leicester Tigers with Worcester Warriors and Gloucester Rugby having booked their tickets to Bath 24 hours earlier from the opener at Kingsholm.

There are now just two spots left with London Irish, London Wasps, Harlequins and Saracens doing battle at Allianz Park tonight.

It was hosts Northampton Saints first up for Falcons as they took their first steps back into Aviva Premiership rugby - spoiling the party as they beat their hosts 28-22.

After Tom Catterick, Michael Tait and Richard Mayhew had gone over it looked like tries from Paul Diggin, Harry Betts and a Tom Collins double would see Saints victorious, only for Simon Hammersley to strike late on.

Next the Falcons raced into a 19-0 lead against Leicester thanks to a Harrison Collins double and Catterick try, and although the Tigers clawed their way back into the game with tries from Pasqualle Dunn and Jake Farnworth Newcastle held on for the 19-10 victory.

And in their final game, Falcons made it a clean sweep with a 12-5 victory over Sale Sharks, tries from Joel Hodgson and captain Mayhew doing the damage, Tom Brady touching down in reply.

For tickets to the J.P. Morgan Premiership Rugby Series Final at 7pm on Friday, August 9 at The Rec, Bath visit: bathrugby.com/tickets