Bates warns Falcons relegation is still a danger

Feb 13 2010 by Nick Purewal, The Journal

NEVER mind the Heineken Cup, Steve Bates has warned his Newcastle Falcons they could yet be dragged into the relegation picture if their Premiership form deserts them.

Anticipating the tightest league finish yet, Falcons rugby director Bates believes just two bad defeats could turn his side’s promising position on its head.

The Falcons take on Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens today (kick-off 3pm) in the first of six straight Guinness Premiership matches that will determine the course of their season.

Former Wasps scrum-half Bates believes his men have every chance of hitting a top-six finish and charging into next season’s Heineken Cup – but he also warned his players their efforts to date are meaningless.

All the results so far offer are the opportunity to attack the second half of the season with confidence and a springboard for the European top table battle.

But Bates has reminded the players that any complacency will see them sucked back into the wrong end of the table, and past experiences have left him none too keen for another relegation dalliance.

“Every game now will be significant,” predicted Bates.

“It’s pretty tight throughout the table so a couple of wins could push us right up, but on the other hand a couple of losses could kick us out of the picture and down into that ninth, 10th, 11th area too.

“It’s absolutely right that the players have the Heineken Cup as their realistic goal, and that they will chase that without easing off at any point.

“Let’s hope we get there, and I believe we can – but similarly if we do slip off the pace a little it will be even tougher to get back on track.

“We need to improve some areas of our game to make that happen, and generally we have to be much more consistent across the board.

“Having played all of the teams once I see nothing to worry us unduly, other than that they are very competitive teams.” Saints winger Chris Ashton powered in for a hat-trick when Northampton stole away from Kingston Park 20-8 winners earlier in the season, but Bates does not expect the wide men to be the chief danger in the Midlands today.