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| The Tuts Report | The John Brain Interview | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The little shrimps
and big giants! we were once again entertained at half time with some exciting "Mini" Rugby. Followed by the arrival of the Giant Epi Taoini. A big man but does not have the engine for sustained play. James Brown started the second half in much the same way as matt Burke had earlier. The away supporters exploded into life once more heaping noise and pressure on the receiving falcons. The ball was cleanly taken and immediately given To Taoini who surged into the Worcester players only to be stopped in his tracks by Sanderson and Hickey. You can be a s big as you like you are not getting past these two!! |
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| Still it was Newcastle who were on the attack first. It was fairly easily repelled as Worcester came storming back through their dominant forwards. the speed to the ball, the power in the drive and total control of the line outs was rendering the Falcons pack to pieces |
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The games was
intense, not pretty or classical but intense and full of commitment and
heart. The supporters felt every thump, every mistake (of which their were
very few) every small victory.
Both sides were finding spaces which had previously not existed as ambition to win increased in both teams |
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Newcastle set up a nice series of attacks down the left as the moved closer and closer to the Worcester 22. However from a set piece Newcastle picked up and went open. Powell tracked perfectly Dowson who tried to slip the ball to his scrum half only to fin Matt. Who took the ball and set up a great counter attack. The ball was worked all the way into the Newcastle 22 only to be held up by some last gasp defence, which held firm. The pressure started to tell, finally a penalty was awarded to Worcester. In came Brown right in front of the Worcester Faithful Newcastle 6 : 11 Warriors The visiting supporters went wild with delight, time for another drop of the amber nectar |
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This was the key to
open the Newcastle mindset as they now put much more emphasis on attack and
getting back on terms. Only 5 points adrift, was nothing. Attack they did using the big South Sea Islander to try and batter his way through. He did not and subsequently the attacks were slowed down. Finally a concerted attack on the Worcester line saw the defence compact near the point of impact. Newcastle surged and set up a gap for Harris to go over for an unconverted try Falcons 11 : 11 Warriors |
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Both sides were now
fully committed to win. Both could win. It was there for the taking. Who had the courage, the desire, the will to win. Who wanted it the most? Only time would tell. The Warriors supporters were in no mind to give this one up. They just gout louder and more passionate as the match went on. |
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The physical side of the game was now at its most testing. The adrenalin has gone, the oxygen in the muscles is much depleted this is when sheer guts and determination count for everything. I did not see a single player take a backward step, the team ethos and playing for each other was shinning through. How many fingernails or heartbeats the supporters had left could be counted in single figures. Shouting was getting harder by the second!! It came alive again when James Brown converted his second drop goal Falcons 11 : 14 Warriors |
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Newcastle now
started to revert to all kinds of methods to reduce to the flow of ball to
the Warriors backs. Constantly being warned that this is your "last" warning, pull it down one more time and it is 10 minutes. 3 Times in the space of 5 minutes the Worcester Jumpers were attacked in mid-air. A very dangerous practice but the referee did nothing. If a broken neck had happened who would have been to blame then?? It id not matter, the line outs were still being taken by Gillies, Murphy and Hickey with absolute ease. This was to be vital later!!! |
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The game was 75
minutes old when Worcester set up a concerted attack. All stemming from some
indiscipline at a maul and 25 metre gain by Tommy Hayes. Line out, catch move infield and set up another great drive which once again Falcons pulled down. Penalty 8 meters out |
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Can we win the
line? But of course. pat went for the catch and drive from 5 meters. What a decision as the captain himself was driven over for a magnificent converted try Falcons 11 : 21 Warriors |
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The team, the fans,
the coaches were ecstatic, 10 points clear, 2 scores, we were in the driving
seat. Back cam Newcastle with renewed vigour. Speed and pace previously not seen now appeared, or was it that everyone on the field was shattered. A massive attack deep in the left once again drew in the defence, the ball was moved wide and found Matt Burke on the overlap. A score on the touchline was unconverted Falcons 16 : 21 Warriors |
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Could Newcastle score again. It was not for want of trying they did not, but for sheer bloody mindedness of the Worcester defence kept them in mid-field. Worcester once again came close to another drive over but the game was finally closed off. The supporters sighed, they gulped oxygen and then boy did they let rip. For 5 minutes they cheered and cheered and cheered some more. the players came out and they cheered even louder and longer for their hero's. A magnificent result and what a weekend Falcons 16 : 21 Worcester |
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Observations: 1. The greatest game ever played by a team wearing the gold-n-blue of Worcester. 2. The best away support seen at Kingston Park 3. A fantastic weekend by the sea 4. All players were maginificent |
5. Continue in this vein and who know what we can achieve over the last 2 games. 6. Now for WASPS lets take this support to the causeway and do the business. 7. Are you ready for Saints. Our last home game we have to make that the best ever supported day in the season. It has to be an inferno of lous passionate support that will crack open the ground and swallow those saints whole!!! |
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