Newcastle end their bleak run of 11 league games without a win

Newcastle secured their first Gallagher Premiership victory for five months and their biggest in the league against Worcester as they ran out 45-10 victors at Sixways. The visitors scored six tries in a one-sided display to end a run of eleven league matches without a win and climb up to eleventh in the table, two points above the Warriors.

The match was held up for ten minutes shortly after kick-off when Worcester full-back Noah Heward was treated following a clash of heads with Newcastle second row Sean Robinson and left the field on a stretcher.

Newcastle were ahead just four minutes later through George McGuigan, who applied the finishing touches to a break and offload by flanker Josh Basham. Brett Connon added the extras. Duhan van der Merwe came close to a reply for Worcester but was tackled into touch by Adam Radwan as he reached for the line.

However, the Warriors’ opening try arrived after 21 minutes when Heward’s replacement Perry Humphreys crossed in the left corner. Fin Smith missed the conversion and Newcastle stretched their lead shortly after the half hour thanks to Connon, who exchanged with Freddie Lockwood before dotting down and then kicking the conversion.

The Falcons then opened up a 21-5 advantage at the interval when Radwan added his name to the try sheet, Connon once more on target with his kick. Connon’s success with the boot continued in the second half with a long-range penalty and the bonus point was secured eight minutes later with Newcastle’s fourth try from Louis Schreuder.

McGuigan’s burst set up Greg Paterson, who in turn laid off the ball to Schreuder to sneak through and dot down. Connon again added the two points before kicking another conversion 14 minutes from time after prop Trevor Davison had scored the visitors’ fifth try.

Ted Hill then crossed the line for Worcester following a rare attack but Jamie Blamire completed Newcastle’s rout at the death, with Connon kicking his sixth conversion out of six.