ROB Andrew, once tipped for high office at Twickenham, launched a stinging attack on the RFU after Saturday's Guinness Premiership debacle at Kingston Park.

It took a moment of magic from Mathew Tait midway through the second half to lift the game out of the gutter and Andrew is convinced the threat of relegation is to blame.

He believes all but the top four are living with that threat and said: "This match was tense but very ugly, and that's what the Premiership is becoming. It will reflect on the England team and the RFU don't understand that.

"The financial fears of relegation are staggering. There are 13 good teams in this country but Harlequins are going to swap places with a very good club and it will be the same next year. It's a joke and there's no-one at the RFU with the vision to sort it out.

"We have been having this battle for ten years and nothing will change."

Tait left yesterday for two weeks away with the England Sevens side and is one of five Newcastle backs representing England at various levels.

"We're happy for him to go and we could bring him back in a crisis," said Andrew. "But having five backs away for the next two weeks when I have to worry about relegation just proves that the system doesn't work. The conflict between the clubs and the RFU is going to get worse."

Tait outshone his centre partner on Saturday, Jamie Noon, who teams up with the full England squad today but didn't help his chances of selection.

He put in some crunching tackles but had little chance to shine in attack against the spoiling tactics of a side who fully lived up to their reputation as the most boring in the Premiership.

Although the crowd of 6,405 was down on this season's average, the general trend is upwards despite the fare being offered and Saturday's fans seemed delighted at the end.

The turgid tedium of the first 60 minutes was forgotten as the Falcons scored two excellent tries either side of giving one away, which at least served to provide late drama.

Other than Tait, the most threatening back on the field was Newcastle winger Anthony Elliott, making his comeback after a three-month injury absence.

As early as the third minute he put in a superb kick to the left corner, only for Andy Perry to be penalised at the line-out, but it was his powerful running which stood out.

With the score locked at 6-6, he covered the last 25 metres and did well to squeeze in at the corner following Tait's scintillating outside break.

The Falcons' other try, with three minutes left, stemmed from a burst down the middle by winger Tom May.

He veered towards the right corner before the ball was switched left and replacement full back Joe Shaw stepped inside off the wing to score.

Dave Walder, who also kicked two penalties and a drop goal, converted to make it 21-13, Saracens adding a late penalty to claim a bonus point.

Newcastle were not helped by the withdrawal of Matt Burke with a leg injury, forcing Walder to start at full back with Toby Flood at fly half.

Flood limped off after 24 minutes with a knee injury, the consolation being that Jonny Wilkinson is expected to return for the next match at London Irish in two weeks.

Ben Woods continued to underline his development at open side, but Owen Finegan still looked short of either fitness or hunger and was replaced at blind side by Geoff Parling for the second half.

Young prop David Wilson also went on for the second half, Robbie Morris returning for the last ten minutes in place of Micky Ward.

But whatever combination the Falcons had in the front row they dominated the scrums.

Tait showed his class in the first minute with a run and chip into the 22, only for Noon to knock-on when a try might have resulted.

Woods then charged down a clearance, but May was robbed of the ball and the early excitement gave way to stop-start drudgery, not helped by the referee.

Saracens went ahead through a penalty by fly half Glen Jackson after 13 minutes then Walder was just wide with a 40-metre drop goal.

Broken play gave Flood some space and he cut inside to link with scrum half James Grindal, who was stopped five metres from the posts. Saracens dived in and Walder slotted the penalty.

After a burst by Elliott, Walder narrowly missed a penalty from near the left touchline.

But he landed an easier one after good scrum pressure saw Colin Charvis pick up and send Grindal through a gap.

Saracens were on top early in the second half, but it typified their attacking efforts when Jackson kicked the ball dead from halfway.

His 45-metre penalty made it 6-6 after 55 minutes and there was little sign of an end to the sterility until Tait swept outside his marker to send Elliott over.

Suddenly the game came alive as Perry drove forward from a ruck and Parling skilfully put Elliott away into the 22 again.

Walder's drop goal from a ruck on the 22 made it 14-6, but from the restart, with their former No 8 Hugh Vyvyan suspiciously off-side, Newcastle lost their defensive shape and allowed Adam Powell to run through to the posts from 25 metres.

Jackson's conversion cut the gap to one point, but Shaw's try settled it and lifted Newcastle above Saracens and Bristol into seventh place.

Newcastle Falcons 21 - 16 Saracens