JAMES Hudson may not play in Newcastle's first two LV= Cup games - but still the Falcons skipper is stressing the significance of the competition in changing the club's early season fortunes.

The Kingston Park outfit will begin their campaign at home to Cardiff today, having picked up one win from their first six games in the Aviva Premiership, while the Blues have won just once in their last four Celtic League fixtures.

However, Hudson knows all too well what the LV= Cup can do for a club, with Northampton Saints, newly promoted from the Championship at the time, running out winners in 2010, before reaching the Heineken Cup final just 12 months on in Cardiff last year.

Newcastle reached the LV= Cup final themselves last year in an otherwise poor season - coming from 10-0 down away to Harlequins in a memorable semi-final to win 21-20 and seal a clash with eventual champions Gloucester.

Hudson won't feature against Cardiff or London Irish next week as he continues to serve his four-week ban for a dangerous tackle - but is calling on the Falcons to use the cup as a Premiership springboard.

"I missed the first couple of games last year with injury but I played in the latter stages and we went on a good run," said Hudson, who skippered the side in the 34-7 final defeat to Gloucester.

"The semi-final win away at Quins was a great comeback from us. We were under the pump and went behind but we believed we could get through it.

"The second half we scored a breakaway try through Jimmy Gopperth and then we scored another try right at the death and that was really good for us.

"There were times last season when we weren't picking up as many wins as we wanted in the Premiership but getting a couple of wins in the cup and getting to the final gave us momentum.

"It's a big help for when you get back into the Premiership. As a squad we have had a tough start to the year but playing in the cup can give you that little bit of momentum again.

"There isn't the pressure of the grind of the Premiership and it is also a good chance to play against the Welsh teams, which we don't normally get to do.

"It's a good competition, it plays a really important role in the calendar and it's good to have a couple of weeks throughout the first couple of blocks of Premiership games where the pressure isn't the same."

Newcastle's current start is almost a mirror image of last season's where they had tasted victory just once in seven prior to their LV= Cup opener, where they defeated the Ospreys 18-17.

And with wins proving hard to come by again this term, Hudson insists head coach Alan Tait will be fielding an experienced XV to win as opposed to merely giving his younger players a run out.

"Some clubs rest their complete first-team squad for the LV= Cup but we are approaching it differently and we will pick a team to win," he added.

"I would love to have another run in the competition, it is a route to Europe and it is a huge carrot and it is really important for us as a club.

"It is a competition split into two two-week blocks and if you do well in your home games and pick up points away you can come close to winning it like we did last year."

Scotland's Euan Murray starts in thre front row while giant lock Andrew van der Heijden joins him. There is also a return for Kiwi Jeremy Manning among the backs after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Newcastle Falcons: Goosen, Sheriffe, Uys, Manning, Eves, Gopperth (c), Pasqualin, Fearn, M Mayhew, Murray, Townson, van der Heijden, Wilson, Pennycook, Hogg. Replacements: Graham, Wells, Hall, Swinson, Welch, Chudley, Helleur, Hodgson.

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