), we at least owe the Weshties the courtesy of a new thread for the new season.Newcastle Falcons 23 - 10 Connacht
Pat Lam's return to former club Newcastle Falcons saw the English Premiership side defeating Connacht 23-10 on Saturday, in the final pre-season fixture of the summer.
The Samoan was given a raucous ovation by the home fans after being part of the club's victorious 1997-98 title-winning side, and the early signs were promising for Connacht in a hard-fought opening half.
Newcastle led just 6-3 at the break, outhalf Dan Parks slotting a 13th minute penalty from out on the left.
Opposite number Joel Hodgson had put the Falcons into an early lead with a long-range penalty, the 21-year-old slotting from just inside the Connacht half on a damp Kingston Park field, following heavy overnight rain.
Hodgson scurried back to snuff out a Connacht line-break as the visitors probed the three-quarter line, and the visitors' scrum had Newcastle under pressure at times.
Kiwi lock Craig Clarke enjoyed an energetic hour on his debut, but a second Hodgson penalty on 24 minutes was the last score of an opening half which petered out to a low-key conclusion.
Newcastle's best period of the game came immediately after the interval, Scottish fly-half Phil Godman finding gaps with a mixture of cross-kicks, floated miss passes and deft inside pops.
It was one such short ball which produced the opening try on 48 minutes, Kiwi wing Ryan Shortland coming in from his perch to take a scoring pass from five metres out.
Godman converted, and the Falcons were 23-3 up just after the hour mark when veteran wing Andy Higgins dotted down in the left corner.
The closing quarter saw the downpour increase as rain halted any hopes of expansive rugby, but Connacht were unperturbed in a strong finish as Willie Faloon scored from close range on the right corner.
Miah Nikora converted impressively from the touch-line into the teeth of a strong wind, neither side troubling the scorers for the remainder of a physical and decent contest.
Newcastle Falcons: T Catterick, N Cato, D Barnes, J Fitzpatrick, R Shortland, J Hodgson, M Blair; G Strain, S Lawson, O Tomaszczyk, D Barrow, C del Fava, M Wilson, W Welch (captain), A Hogg. Replacements: R Vickers, M Thompson, S Wilson, F Montanella, S MacLeod, C York, C Pilgrim, P Godman, J Helleur, A Crockett, A Higgins.
Falcons scorers – Tries: R Shortland, A Higgins. Conversions: P Godman 2. Penalties: J Hodgson 2, P Godman.
Connacht: F Carr, T O'Halloran, E Griffin, C Finn, S Layden, D Parks, F Murphy; B Wilkinson, J Harris-Wright (captain), N White, M Kearney, C Clarke, E McKeon, W Faloon, G Naoupu. Replacements: S Henry, R Ah-You, R Loughney, M Swift, A Browne, J Muldoon, J Heenan, K Marmion, MNikora, B Murphy, S Macauley.
Connacht scorers – Tries: W Faloon. Conversions: M Nikora. Penalties: D Parks.
