Draw has a familiar look for Falcons

Jun 24 2008 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

NEWCASTLE Falcons will renew hostilities with Brive in the European Challenge Cup next season after Steve Bates’ side were paired with the French club for a fourth consecutive year.

The Falcons, though, will not be too perturbed at the draw for the group stage of the competition having won five of their six games against Brive.

Newcastle will also face Spanish champions Cetransa El Salvador for the second year in succession, while they also face Italian side Overmach Parma as they aim to reach the knock-out stages of the competition.

The Falcons reached the semi-finals last year before losing to Worcester and Europe’s second-tier competition will once again represent one of the club’s best chances of lifting some silverware next season.

“We have always enjoyed competitive matches against Brive and I am sure this season will be no different,” said Bates, who will return to Tyneside today having guided the England Saxons squad to Churchill Cup success in America following a 36-19 victory over Scotland A in the final last weekend.

“Cetransa El Salvador are a side we are familiar with after our two games against them last year, while Overmach Parma will represent a new challenge which we are looking forward to.

“The European Challenge Cup is a tournament with significant interest for us, and as always we will be going all out to win the competition.”

Given his appointment as Falcons’ director of rugby it remains to be seen whether Bates will carry on as Saxons coach next season, but for now he is just happy to reflect on England’s successful defence of the Churchill Cup.

He added: “This squad has been an absolute pleasure to work with. It’s been a great all-round team performance. By winning the tournament we’ve achieved what we set out to do, and played some great rugby along the way.

“The Scots put in a very competitive performance and it took longer that we expected to break them down. But we stuck to our guns well and although it was a pretty even game for about an hour, we stepped it up after that.”

Meanwhile, the Falcons will announce a new kit deal next week after their partnership with Nike came to an abrupt end after just one season yesterday.

EUROPEAN CHALLENGE CUP DRAW

Pool 1: London Irish, Connacht Rugby, Dax*/Albi*, Rugby Rovigo.

Pool 2: Northampton Saints, Bristol Rugby, Montpellier, Toulon.

Pool 3: Bourgoin, Worcester Warriors, Petrarca Rugby, Bucuresti Oaks.

Pool 4: Newcastle Falcons, Brive, Overmach Rugby Parma, Cetransa El Salvador.

Pool 5: Saracens, Viadana, Bayonne, Stade Montois Rugby.

* The participation of either Dax or Albi is yet to be confirmed.