Can Steve Diamond arrest the slide of the league's northernmost side?
Our Newcastle Falcons Gallagher Premiership preview for the 2024-25 season is here. Can Steve Diamond get them off the foot of the table? Only time will tell…
Discussion points
Related: Northampton Saints Gallagher Premiership preview
They made the semi-finals in 2018 but what a sorry tale since, including bottom-place finishes in the last two years. Ironically, having been relegated in 2019 with 31 points, they stayed up last season with a paltry five points, the 85-14 thrashing by Bristol a real horror show.
Head coaches Dave Walder and Alex Codling went in quick succession and it’s over to Steve Diamond to try to revive the ailing Falcons. Typically, he’s recruited fighters, players with a ‘bit of dog’ like Tom Gordon and Cam Neild, in a bid to make Falcons tough to beat.
“If we do lose, we lose with a scrap,” says Diamond. Other signings include two young props in the Hancocks, identical twins who won a record 102 scrum penalties in BUCS Super Rugby, and fly-half Kieran Wilkinson from Leicester. “Not a bad surname for a fly-half at Newcastle!” quips Diamond. He will need a sense of humour.
Key player
Mateo Carreras, who scored 16 tries in 40 games, jumped ship in February but the other wing sensation, Adam Radwan, remains. Having rewatched some of his tries, we’re embarrassed that we didn’t include him in a recent feature we ran on the game’s best finishers.
One to watch
Ben Redshaw has impressed with England U20 (Getty Images)
Ben Redshaw, now an U20 world champion, will be exciting but it starts up front, so we’re picking Pedro Rubiolo. At 22, the 6ft 3in utility forward is embedded in the Pumas squad and has impressed his new boss. “He’s a Tasmanian devil. He’s difficult to tackle, his arms and legs are everywhere.”
Coaches’ box
The big change is the arrival of Alan Dickens as senior coach, joining from Leicester. The former Saints and England U20 coach will oversee attack while Diamond handles the defence.
Prediction
It’s difficult to see Falcons climbing off the bottom, such was the gulf last season.
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