Newcastle Falcons 22 Bourgoin 16

NEWCASTLE Falcons have never failed to progress from the group stage of the European Challenge Cup, and on the evidence of last night’s hard-fought 22-16 win over French side Bourgoin, they are in no mood to relinquish their record this season.

A trio of tries from Jeremy Manning, Joe Graham and Luke Fielden helped see off a Bourgoin team rooted to the foot of France’s Super 14, and while the quality of much of Newcastle’s rugby left plenty to be desired, the win, which was only Falcons’ second of the season in all competitions, was nevertheless welcome.

Alan Tait rightly identified the Challenge Cup as “something we could win” in his programme notes, and while the appearance of three unsuccessful Heineken Cup sides at the quarter-final stage will complicate matters, Falcons’ first priority is to book their place in the last eight.

Given the presence of Exeter, who have already beaten them once this season, and Montpellier in their pool, they will almost certainly have to win all their home games, so last night’s success, no matter how scrappy, was essential.

Tait named a strong starting line-up in an attempt to ensure it, although things did not go to plan early on. Bourgoin enjoyed a surfeit of early possession, and the pressure on the Falcons forwards told twice inside the opening 12 minutes.

The hosts conceded a longrange penalty on each occasion, and French fly-half Sebastien Laloo quickly found his range, slotting both to hand his side a six-point lead.

His Falcons counterpart, Manning, wasted a decent opportunity to reduce the arrears shortly after, but the penalty miss was soon forgotten when the summer signing from Munster rounded off the hosts’ first attacking move of note midway through the first half.

Centre Luke Eves did the damage, punching a hole through the heart of the Bourgoin defence, and a swift recycling move enabled Manning to cross in the right corner.

The backline move was something of a novelty – the majority of Newcastle’s success this season has come from the forwards – but the hosts reverted to their favourite script to take the lead shortly after.

The Bourgoin pack were in immediate trouble at a sixmetre scrum, and former Tynedale hooker Graham crowned his Newcastle debut with a polished score from close in.

Manning’s conversion made it 12-6, but while Eves continued to enjoy considerable success with a series of angled midfield runs, the visitors would have been closer at the interval had Laloo not mislaid his kicking boots when Falcons conceded yet another needless penalty. For all Tait’s early-season warnings, indiscipline continues to be a concern.

Handling errors are also a recurring problem, but after two decent second-half field positions were spurned through knock ons, Manning slotted a close-range penalty to round off a lengthy passing move that featured two eyecatching breaks from fullback Alex Tait.

The gap reverted to six points when Laloo converted his third penalty of the night at the other end, but Newcastle claimed a crucial third try in the 63rd minute.

Some slick handling along the line created an overlap on the right, and winger Fielden exploited it to the full to score.

The conversion that followed was notable, as it resulted in 17-year-old replacement Joel Hodgson’s first points in senior rugby.

Bourgoin set up a nervy finale when replacement forward Jordan Merle burrowed over with ten minutes left, but Newcastle held on to set themselves up nicely for next Thursday’s trip to Montpellier.

NEWCASTLE FALCONS: Tait (Fitzpatrick 66), Fielden, Bobo, Eves, Amesbury, Manning (Hodgson 54), Young (Pilgrim 61); Shiells (Ryan 7), Graham, Ward (Brookes 36), Levi (Swinson 61), Townson, B Wilson (Pennycook 53), M Wilson, Hogg. Replacement (not used): Fearn.

BOURGOIN: Moinot (Janin 53), Vallulu, Van Zyl, Viazzo, Nadolo, Laloo, Campeggia (Coux 64); Milloud (Lapteff 24), Janaudy (Merle 49), Charlet (Bougherara 49), Josste, Louchard, Cowley, Tulou, Genevois (Gondrand 64). Replacements (not used): Levast, Labrit