NEWCASTLE FALCONS will begin life outside the top-flight with three games in the RFU Championship Cup after the second-tier fixtures for next season were confirmed.

Dean Richards’ side will kick off the new campaign in pool two of the competition, having been drawn alongside Doncaster Knights, Hartpury RFC and Jersey Reds, and will start on the weekend of September 21 with a trip to the Channel Islands.

Their first home game pits them against Doncaster, with their first block of cup action ending with a trip to Hartpury.

Falcons’ Greene King IPA Championship season begins with a trip to London Scottish on the weekend of October 12, with the club’s first league home game seeing Hartpury visit Kingston Park seven days later.

The second batch of cup matches kick in at the end of November and early December, and Falcons will be on the road over the festive period, travelling to last season’s Championship runners-up Ealing Trailfinders on either the weekend before or after Christmas.

Falcons’ first home game of 2020 pits them against Doncaster on the weekend of January 11, with the first away trip of the new year taking them to Headingley to face Yorkshire Carnegie.

The semi-finals of the cup competition are scheduled for April, with the final three games of the league campaign following after that. Newcastle’s final away game takes place at Ampthill, with the Championship campaign concluding with a home game against London Scottish on May 9.

“The cup game against Jersey will be interesting,” said Richards, who retains his position as director of rugby despite last season’s relegation. “There is obviously the logistics of getting there, which is a bit different for us than most, and then the London Scottish game.

“They aren’t an easy side to play against, I’ve played down there loads of times as a player myself. It’s a good pitch and a good venue, so we’re looking forward to both matches as they give us a really good understanding as to where we are.

“Ealing away will be quite interesting, as will Jersey in March, which there will obviously be a lot of interest from our supporters to go over.”

Falcons will start as strong favourites to bounce back to the Gallagher Premiership at the first time of asking, as was the case when they last dropped into the second tier at the start of Richards’ reign.

“We’re delighted to welcome Newcastle Falcons and Ampthill to the 11th season of the Greene King IPA Championship,” said league chairman Geoff Irvine. “The Championship continues to thrive, and we look forward to another highly-competitive season starting in two months’ time.”


Newcastle Falcons’ Championship fixtures

Oct 11-13 London Scottish (a)

Oct 18-20 HARTPURY RFC (H)

Oct 25-27 Cornish Pirates (a)

Nov 1-3 JERSEY REDS (H)

Nov 8-10 Bedford Blues (a)

Nov 15-17 COVENTRY (H)

Dec 20-22 or 27-29 Ealing Trailfinders (a)

Jan 10-12 DONCASTER KNIGHTS (H)

Jan 17-19 Yorkshire Carnegie (a)

Jan 24-26 Nottingham (a)

Jan 31-Feb 2 AMPTHILL (H)

Feb 7-9 Hartpury RFC (a)

Feb 14-16 CORNISH PIRATES (H)

Feb 28-Mar 1 Jersey Reds (a)

Mar 13-15 BEDFORD BLUES (H)

Mar 20-22 Coventry (a)

Mar 27-29 EALING TRAILFINDERS (H)

Apr 3-5 Doncaster Knights (a)

Apr 10-12 YORKSHIRE CARNEGIE (H)

Apr 24-26 NOTTINGHAM (H)

May 1-3 Ampthill (a)

May 8-10 LONDON SCOTTISH (H)

 


Newcastle Falcons’ RFU Championship Cup fixtures

Sep 20-22 Jersey Reds (a)

Sep 27-29 DONCASTER KNIGHTS (H)

Oct 4-6 Hartpury RFC (a)

Nov 29-Dec 1 HARTPURY RFC (H)

Dec 6-8 Doncaster Knights (a)

Dec 13-15 JERSEY REDS (H)