JOEL HODGSON has urged his Newcastle Falcons team-mates not to allow their intensity to drop when they entertain French side Grenoble in the European Challenge Cup on Sunday.

Falcons’ last home outing was a 19-14 victory over Bristol that propelled them into the top half of the Aviva Premiership table, and Dean Richards’ side have also beaten Sale Sharks on home turf this season.

Sunday’s game will lack the significance of either of those encounters, with Richards continuing to use the Challenge Cup as a means of blooding young talent and giving some of his fringe players a much-needed run-out.

Last weekend’s 45-0 defeat to Ospreys has already dented Newcastle’s hopes of progressing to the knock-out phase, but Hodgson does not want this weekend’s game to damage the momentum that has been building at Kingston Park.

“We have to make a real statement,” said the fly-half. “We want to make Kingston Park a fortress, and to a certain extent, we have done that. We allowed the Leicester game to slip past us by a single point, but other than that we are two from two here this season.

“We want to put teams to the sword here, and even though we started well against Bristol, we shut up shop a bit. When we get those good starts, we need to keep playing and do it for the full 80. That’s the thought process for this weekend.”

Falcons take on a Grenoble side struggling in second-bottom in the French Top 14, and with French sides tending to have a poor away record in European competitions, the hosts will start as strong favourites.

“Grenoble are fighting for survival in the Top 14, so their mind-set might be a bit different because of that,” said Hodgson. “Their principal focus will be on that.

“French teams generally pride themselves on a very strong home record, and there was a real sense of shock for us when we saw their defeat at home against Lyon (in their first Challenge Cup game). I can sympathise because I have been in those relegation battles with Newcastle, but we have a real foundation now and it is freeing our minds to be a lot more positive about our rugby.”

Hodgson’s positive frame of mind reflects the success of his summer return to Newcastle, with the number ten having re-joined his hometown club after spending last season with both Northampton and Yorkshire Carnegie.

“I am absolutely loving being back,” he said. “I have learnt a lot during my time away and it is great to see the club going places.

“Having 14 Aviva Premiership points after six games is not a bad start, it could have been more if we more accurate in a few areas, but I am loving the chance to play for the Falcons again and am keen to push on.

“The depth of our squad is very encouraging. It is really competitive in every position, and everyone is pushing each other. The quality and intensity of training is another level from where it was two years ago, and the thing for us now is to be more consistent about how we put that into our games.”