ROB Andrew was delighted with Saturday's workout against the Borders, but unhappy that he might be forced to repeat the exercise next season.

With a four-week gap between the morale-boosting win against Leicester and next Saturday's trip to Premiership leaders Gloucester, Andrew felt obliged to organise a competitive friendly.

But he admitted that it could easily have backfired and is annoyed that similar gaps in the league programme will occur next season.

"Under the old arrangement for the Six Nations Championship at least the clubs kept ticking over, but now we have come to a halt," he said.

"In next season's structure the gaps in the Six Nations are filled by Powergen Cup quarter and semi-finals, so if you get knocked out you are dead for seven weeks.

"From a business point of view that's crazy.

"Had things gone badly against the Borders and we had suffered injuries I might have asked myself why on earth I arranged it. But we had to do something, and as it turned out we probably could not have planned it any better.

"It's difficult for players to get their heads round friendlies because they play so much tough, competitive rugby.

"But we got exactly what we wanted out of this.

"We played something close to next week's side for the first half and played very well to lead 26-0. Then everybody else got some action.

"It got a bit loose towards the end but they also played some good stuff."

Newcastle's Director of Rugby would not be drawn on whether he feels the gaps in the programme provide a good reason for expanding the Premiership by two clubs.

He knows he could be accused of seeking a backdoor escape from relegation and said: "We have always understood that it would be a 12-club league again next season with one up and one down.

"Things have been known to change, but as far as we're concerned we just have to make sure we don't finish 12th."

Jonny Wilkinson sat out Saturday's match, as did Marius Hurter and Epi Taione. But all will be in action at Kingsholm on Saturday.

Liam Botham will still be missing following a groin operation and any chance of Gareth Maclure taking his place on the wing lasted only five minutes.

He has had hamstring trouble most of the season and managed only one good run when he went on at half-time before limping off.

That gave Michael Stephenson the chance to go back on and claim his second high-class try, underlining again what a dazzling array of wingers England have to choose from.

For his first Stepheson picked up a loose ball 45 metres out, side-stepped the first tackle and simply accelerated away to the posts. His second came from his trademark chip and chase.

There were also two tries for lock Stuart Grimes, the most impressive Scot on show as the Borders offered little resistance in the first half.

Of the non-regulars in the Falcons' line-up the ones who staked the strongest claim for inclusion against Gloucester were flankers Jon Dunbar and Phil Dowson.

There were also tries for Dunbar, lively full back Joe Shaw and replacement prop James Isaacson.

It was hard to believe that the Falcons lost 24-10 away to the Borders in the pre-season match in which David Walder broke his leg.

But Newcastle are much-improved recently and offered no chance to former teammates Gary Armstrong and Doddie Weir to shine.

Armstrong went off after 17 minutes following a blow on the head and Weir retired at half-time. They had probably seen enough to know they called a halt to their Premiership careers at the right time.

Result: Newcastle Falcons 41 Borders 12.