Face to Face: Rob Andrew

Apr 26 2005 By John Gibson, The Evening Chronicle

Charvis in frame for job

One of Rob Andrew's summer deliberations will be over who skippers the Newcastle Falcons in the coming season.

Last time Jonny Wilkinson and Ian Peel were intriguingly made co-captains though one, of course, hardly ever played.

However, this time round it may be another star at the helm - former Wales captain Colin Charvis.

"Colin is a natural captain," admitted Andrew.

"He did it at international level and did it for us at Northampton. The difficulty with putting him in charge in his first season here was that he had to settle in as a player.

"If Jonny is fit and playing regularly for us he has to contend with being England skipper as well. So I'll have to look at the situation carefully."

I mention that it might be a nice climax to Charvis' career to be skipper in his final season.

"Aye, I read somewhere that Colin said he'd retire at the end of next season," said Rob.

"I know his contract is up then but he's a quality performer and I'll be talking to him about staying on. I think we can change his mind."

A fit Jonny can take us to new heights

Newcastle Falcons are praying that their wrecked World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson can catapult them to new heights.

"What we need over the next two years is for Jonny to make the sort of contribution he does when he's fit and playing regularly," maintained Rob Andrew. "If he does he'll take us to the next level.

"It's been very frustrating for him and for us. We've had to manage without him for so long. He's arguably the best rugby player in the world but he's hardly played for 18 months since kicking England to World Cup glory.

"We had to win the Powergen Cup without him and progress to the quarter-finals of the Heineken Cup without him. Jonny only played 70 minutes in Europe.

"Wilkinson is fully fit now, there's no question about that. But he doesn't need any more bad luck."

Andrew, his mentor on and off the field of play since he was a schoolboy, may have been paying what has effectively been dead money during Wilko's long list of injuries but he's prepared to go the extra mile again.

"We've agreed Jonny's new contract in principle," Rob told me. "It is for three years and takes us to 2008. All we're doing is dotting the i's and crossing the t's as we speak."

I venture that the Falcons may be taking a risk every day until he actually signs, with Wilkinson technically on a free transfer in the summer, but Andrew stressed: "He isn't going anywhere. He wants to be here and has since the day he first arrived."

After Wilkinson, the Falcons have produced another wonder kid they have developed from the cradle. Mathew Tait became a full international with England this season - but after amazing hype he was cast back into the Six Nations shadows.

"Mathew was born and bred in the North East - he's from Wolsingham and went to Barnard Castle School," said Rob. "We've had him since he was a boy.

"Mathew epitomises what we want to do in the area but what happened to him with England was appalling.

"He was only 18 but he was hung out to dry.

"All the pressure and pre-match hype made it impossible for him to play his normal game. He was put in a goldfish bowl."

Title not won by money

Newcastle's championship-winning side of 1998 has never, insisted its captain and coach Rob Andrew, received the sort of respect it deserves.

"It's always been said that we bought a team to win the championship but you can buy badly," maintained Rob. "You can't just throw a team of internationals together and expect instant understanding. It wasn't a Baa Baas side hurriedly put together for the occasion.

"What that team had to do first was win promotion and then we won the championship at the first attempt. It was a staggering achievement. Remember we are the only club to gain the Premier League crown apart from Leicester and Wasps. That's something special.

"It was a very experienced side full of great players and great characters that looked as though it had played together for 10 years. In a couple of seasons a unique team spirit was established that other sides couldn't conquer.

"It was a super side, the best I ever played in." Some compliment indeed from a player of Andrew's quality.

Rob went on: "Of course it was a short-term fix. Necessary while we established pro rugby on Tyneside.

"The age of the players meant it was always going to break up and we had to then go about establishing a foundation on which the Falcons could flourish.

"Winning the championship so early probably became a rod for our own backs as it raised the bar so high.

"But we've gone on and made steady progress."