Bates hoping Falcons get off to a flying start
Jun 25 2009 by Nick Purewal, The Journal
STEVE Bates is already targeting a fast start to the new season after learning the Guinness Premiership fixtures.
Falcons new boys Tom Biggs and Rob Vickerman will face their old club Leeds in the first game of the new term when Newcastle return to the ground where they conceded the fastest try in Premiership history.
Newcastle will head back to Headingley for the opening day of the new Guinness Premiership campaign, on the weekend of September 4-6.
The scene of the Premiership’s fastest-ever try on March 21, 2008, Leeds edged out the Falcons 16-15 as Lee Blackett caught Newcastle cold in gale-force winds with his try clocked at just 8.28secs. Leeds were later relegated that season, but have since bounced back and will be looking for a strong start to their return to top-flight rugby, under coaching duo Neil Back and Andy Key.
The Falcons then entertain Sale Sharks at Kingston Park on the weekend of September 11-13 before a testing trip to Leicester Tigers and a home tie against Harlequins complete the first month’s action.
Getting to grips with the second week of pre-season training, Bates will obviously target a win first-up – but he will not pore over the schedule and pinpoint must-win games. Having learned the lesson from last season where targeting the home London Irish clash backfired somewhat in an undercooked performance, Bates will prepare his men to battle hard on every front.
“It’s far too soon to be talking about which games we should be winning and which we should be putting more emphasis on,” said Bates.
“That Irish game was well-documented at the time as being somewhere where we felt we made a mistake, and we did not repeat it again. We changed that tactic, put it behind us and I think we were better for it.
“So we won’t be scanning the fixture list and putting asterisks next to some games and not others or anything like that.
“That proved counter-productive and as we often say we know that anyone can beat anyone in this league, so we’ll be looking for a fast start but not because we are playing the promoted side – we would be looking for that whoever we were taking on.
“Leeds are always going to be tough to beat at home so the game will provide a strong test for us, but the test for now is to get everyone settled and working in the system as soon as possible.”
