Newcastle Falcons vs Sale Sharks Match-Day Programme

STEVE
DIAMOND
CONSULTANT DIRECTOR OF RUGBY
Thank you for coming along today and forming part of what I am
told will be our biggest home crowd of the season.
We have a load of our community clubs with us taking part in
the Defender Premiership Rugby Cup competition prior to our
own kick-off, and it will be great seeing so many local teams
represented here.
As a proud northerner myself I know how much passion for
rugby there is in this part of the world, and it’s vital that we tap
into that as we look to move this club forward, on and off the
field.
I would also like to welcome the players, management and
supporters of Sale Sharks up here today – a club with which I
have had a long association over the years.
For me it is just another game and there is no greater personal
significance today, but of course I have lots of good friends at
Sale Sharks and it will be great to catch up after what I am sure
will be a highly physical contest.
Alex Sanderson is a good pal of mine and somebody for whom
I have a huge amount of respect, so we know we’ll be in for a
proper battle against a side with guys like him involved.
I know you will all have shared our disappointment after last
weekend’s game down at Bristol, where we were well beaten
by an in-form side playing great rugby. I think Bristol would have
beaten pretty much anybody with the way they were playing
that day, but of course that does not excuse what was a really
poor performance from our own perspective.
It was all the more disappointing given how well we had
competed in our previous two games against Exeter and
Leicester, and what we can’t do is allow one off day to crash the
progress we feel we had been starting to make.
We’ve been copping some criticism in the aftermath, which
comes with the territory, and I understand people’s frustration.
All we can do is respond on the field, and that is the challenge
we intend to meet today.
Looking further ahead, we have started to announce some of
our new signings for next season, with Edinburgh prop Luan de
Bruin, Sale flanker Cameron Neild and Gloucester wing/centre
Alex Hearle all out there in the public domain.
There are a couple more either signed or just about agreed, and
they all fit a similar profile in terms of guys who have got highlevel
experience, are at a good age and who I know well.
They’re not unknown quantities and they’ve been signed for a
specific purpose – to make Newcastle Falcons a respected and
highly-competitive team at the Premiership level.
It’s not going to be a quick fix here but we’re starting to put the
building blocks in place, and I’ve been really encouraged by the
support from our local area after what we all know has been a
poor season.
I’d like to thank you all once again for turning up and getting
behind us today, and cheering us on in this showcase of
northern rugby.
All the best.
DIMES
STEVE DIAMOND - DIRECTOR OF RUGBY NOTES
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