NEWCASTLE Falcons owner David Thompson has threatened to pull his team out of trips to Gloucester if Rob Andrew is banned from the Kingsholm ground.

The row between the clubs following Andrew's accusation of racism hotted up on Saturday when Gloucester asked the RFU to consider charging Andrew with bringing the game into disrepute.

Gloucester's chairman, motor racing magnate Tom Walkinshaw, also said he would ban Andrew from Kingsholm unless he apologises for accusing Gloucester's French hooker Olivier Azam of racially abusing Falcons' Tongan flanker Epi Taione.

Andrew also said some Gloucester fans had been ejected for racist comments when Taione was sent off along with Azam. The home club denied this, but Newcastle have hinted that they have independent evidence to support the allegation.

Walkinshaw has had spats in the past with the Newcastle hierarchy, but Thompson is determined not to let him get the better of this one.

"If Rob Andrew is banned from Kingsholm we as a club will not go to Gloucester," he said. "We can't have unilateral behaviour like this.

"It is the club's intention to press this to the ultimate. It was a slur on one of our players and we will pursue the requisite means to ensure it does not happen again.

"We are not blaming the Gloucester club. It was an individual who made a racially abusive remark which provoked the fight.

"As a club we will not condone that and we intend following it up in the proper manner. It would be easy to back off and say nothing, but we can't afford to for the sake of the game.

"I'm very surprised that Gloucester have personalised this issue. Rob Andrew was representing the club on behalf of an abused player. Everybody knows about Rob's standing nationally within the game."

The hearing into the dismissals of both players will be held on Thursday and Newcastle claim that the match video clearly shows Azam spitting at Taione.

But as the alleged racial comments appear to be a case of Taione's word against Azam's they will be difficult to prove.

Newcastle believe that some Gloucester players heard them, but as a club they have obviously closed ranks in an attempt to discredit Andrew.

After a week of inquiries said to involve 150 people, Gloucester have sent a 65-page report to the RFU denying racist comments by either players or spectators.

The club's managing director Ken Nottage, a former chief executive of the defunct Newcastle Sporting Club, said: "We have sent a copy of the investigation report to the RFU with a request that they should consider whether disciplinary action should be taken against Rob Andrew for the damage caused by his unsubstantiated comments."

Andrew made his comments at the post-match press conference and stands by them.

Walkinshaw added: "Rob has got a history of firing from the hip after games don't go his way.

"Having asked for the evidence, and so far none has been forthcoming, you can only be drawn to the conclusiuon that it was an ill-considered attempt to drum up some sort of excuse for Taione.

"We will not let this drop. We will not let Rob Andrew into this ground until an apology from him is forthcoming or some authorities hand out a penalty for his actions."