High-flying Falcons circle Wasps in Round 3
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Will freshly-promoted Newcastle’s dream start to the Premiership continue in Round 3? Not if Wasps have their way. In what is arguably the most interesting clash of the round, the Falcons will swoop into the Ricoh Arena and (hopefully) throw down a stern challenge to last season’s losing finalists.
Wasps ignited their campaign with a three-point victory over Bristol before finding themselves on the receiving end of a major upset in Round 2 when Gloucester put them to the sword 40-24 at Kingsholm.
Newcastle broke into the competition in a demanding fashion, hitting the ground running with a fantastic 7-point victory over league heavyweights Bath in Round 1. With phrases such as “beginners’ luck” falling on deaf Newcastle ears, Dave Walder’s men stuck to their guns and left the AJ Bell Stadium with Sale’s scalp firmly in their grasp.
Newcastle have surprised many with the level of physicality which they have brought to both of their fixtures so far – gaining ascendancy on the beefy Sale pack, for example, is by no means easily done, yet Gary Graham and co. managed to tick that elusive box and have thus put their hands up as real contenders this season.
One would imagine that the Falcons face their toughest challenge yet in the form of Wasps, though question marks hang in the air after the latter’s uncharacteristic and, at times, sloppy performance last week. If Lee Blackett’s charges do not approach this game with sufficient vigour to match that which their opposition have displayed so far, it will be a tough evening for the Wasps players and supporters.