European Challenge Cup/Newcastle - 22 London Irish - 27: London Irish, tenants at The Stoop for a season six years ago, will return to Harlequins' ground next month for their first European final. Their passage to a showpiece game against Gloucester on May 21st was far from smooth, however
Yesterday's lunchtime game almost finished with a remarkable comeback. Newcastle, 27-3 adrift with seven minutes of normal time remaining, scored three tries that could have transformed the match. Then eight minutes into added time the Newcastle pack drove from a lineout and appeared to have scored a fourth. The video referee, Clayton Thomas, ruled that the Falcons' replacement hooker, Matt Thompson, had not grounded the ball, however, and the home side failed to capitalise on the final scrum.
The sigh of relief could probably be heard at Irish's new home in Reading. Rob Andrew, Newcastle's director of rugby, insisted afterwards that they could still qualify for next season's Heineken Cup but, realistically, their chances are over.
Andy Robinson was among the spectators at Kingston Park but the England coach will have gained little from his trip. Jonny Wilkinson, who has not started a game since last November, was introduced eight minutes before the break and had a mixed afternoon while Mathew Tait, the young centre Robinson dropped after his debut against Wales last year, scored Newcastle's third try and could travel with England to Australia this summer.
Andrew said Wilkinson will not be fit to tour and that he had not planned to introduce him until the second half. But so poorly had fly-half Dave Walder been playing as Newcastle fell 15-3 behind to tries from Robbie Russell and Topsy Ojo that Wilkinson was brought on.
Wilkinson finished the match with two conversions, one from the touchline, but in between he struggled to keep pace with the game. Scores by Sailosi Tagicakibau and Gonzalo Tiesi appeared to have put the game beyond Newcastle before Ben Woods scored what appeared to be merely a consolation for the home side. Then after Declan Danaher was sent to the sin-bin five minutes from time gaps began to appear in a tiring defence and Tom May and Tait took advantage.
Irish's director of rugby Brian Smith paid tribute to his captain Mike Catt, but admitted he was unsure whether the 34-year-old would be at the club next season.
In the final, London Irish will meet Gloucester, who came back from an eight-point deficit to beat Worcester 31-23 on Saturday.
NEWCASTLE: Burke; May, Tait, Noon, Elliott; Walder (Wilkinson, 32), Grindal (Charlton, 58); Ward (Williams, h-t), Long (Thompson, 32), Morris (Ward, 66), Perry (Finegan, 68), Parling, McCarthy, Woods (Harris, 79), Charvis (capt). Tries: Woods, May, Tait. Cons: Wilkinson 2. Pen: Burke.
LONDON IRISH: Armitage; Ojo, Tiesi, Catt (capt), Tagicakibau; Flutey (Geraghty, 74), Hodgson (Edwards, 68); Hatley, Russell (Paice, h-t), Rautenbach (Skuse, h-t), Casey (Kennedy, 65), Roche, Danaher, Magne (Dawson, 48), Murphy. Tries: Russell, Ojo, Tagicakibau, Tiesi. Cons: Flutey 2. Pen: Flutey. Sin-bin: Danaher, 75.
Referee: N Owens (Wales).
Guardian Service
