“It’s bitterly disappointing" - Richards admits Saints defeat is a bitter blow to Falcon survival hope
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Speaking after Newcastle Falcons' 31-17 loss to Northampton Saints, director of rugby Dean Richards admitted that the result was a bitter blow to their Premiership survival hopes.
Saints breezed into a 24-3 lead at the break with Tom Collins scoring a first half hattrick but the Falcons fought back in the second-half before Alex Mitchell’s late try denied them the consolation of even a losing bonus point.
“It’s bitterly disappointing, and the most frustrating thing is that we repeated the mistakes of the last game,” said Richards.
“That interception try finished us off, but it was the first half which really killed us.
“We lacked intensity and accuracy in the first half, we came back in the second half and could have been in front, and then we tried a little bit too hard at the end.”
The Falcons boss added: “It was the senior players who lacked that accuracy in the first half, and we had very little intensity.
“The lads spoke at half-time and played with a lot more endeavour and heart after that, but even then we had line-outs in key positions which we failed to convert into tries. That’s the most frustrating thing.”
Results elsewhere over the weekend could potentially seal Falcons' relegation, Richards said: “Mathematically we’ve still got a chance, for the next day or two at least.
“We’ve got to go down to Gloucester and get five points next weekend, then do the same at home to Bristol a fortnight after.
“If Leicester and Worcester get the points they need this weekend then it’s goodnight us in terms of Premiership survival this season, and it’s a tough time.
“We’ve said to the boys that regardless of what happens this weekend we’ve got two games left for them to showcase themselves and give everything for the club.
“We’ve got nothing to lose because everyone wrote us off six weeks ago, and we just want to finish with two good wins regardless of what happens elsewhere.”
