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17:30 GMT, Saturday, 10 May 2008 18:30 UK

Worcester 51-10 Newcastle

Worcester (20) 51
Tries: Sanderson, Lutui, Horsman, Gear, Benjamin 2, Delport, Garvey Cons: Drahm 3, Carlisle Pens: Drahm

Newcastle (10) 10
Tries: Phillips Cons: Jones Pens: Jones


Rico Gear crosses for Worcester

Worcester overtook Newcastle in the Premiership table with an emphatic eight-try victory at Sixways.

The home side heaped more misery on Newcastle having also recently beaten them in a European Challenge Cup semi.

Worcester led through first-half tries from Pat Sanderson, Aleki Lutui and Chris Horsman with Newcastle responding through Ollie Phillips.

Second-half tries from Thinus Delport, Miles Benjamin (2), Rico Gear and Marcel Garvey completed the rout.

The result means that Newcastle, who this week announced that England stars Toby Flood and Mathew Tait would be leaving the club in the summer, have been overtaken by Worcester to finish the season second from bottom.

Captain Sanderson put the Warriors in front after five minutes, crossing from a metre out at an attacking ruck.

They increased their lead from a neat move at a line-out. Tongan hooker Lutui threw to Greg Rawlinson for the All Black to return the ball to his colleague on the touchline for a try.

Newcastle woke up when wing Phillips spectacularly leapt over the home midfield and ran in from 30 metres for fly-half Steve Jones to convert, although it did not help that hooker Rob Vickers was sin-binned after 28 minutes for pulling an opponent's shirt.

606: DEBATE
Your thoughts on an incredible last day in the Premiership

But the comeback was stifled just before half-time as Drahm, who converted Sanderson's try, booted a penalty while Wales prop Horsman went in at the corner.

On the stroke of half-time, though, Jones cut the deficit to 10 points with a long 35-metre penalty.

The floodgates opened, though, almost from the re-start. Delport was put in at the corner by Drahm while wing prospect Miles Benjamin scored twice inside two minutes.

New Zealand legend Rico Gear, in the centre instead of on the wing, got a seventh try for Worcester when he steamed through a gap in the Newcastle midfield.

And soon it was eight when former England wing Garvey, who had been a thorn in the Falcons' side all afternoon, got a deserved try near the posts for replacement Drew Hickey to convert.


Worcester director of rugby Mike Ruddock:
"It was great for us because things we talked about at the start of the season came right but what a tough week for Newcastle after they had to play three games.

"We won the second-half 31-0, which shows they were tired. As much as we won the game and it was great to sign off with a victory, we keep it in perspective and we know it will be tougher in two weeks time against Bath.

"There were times when we put the ball down when we shouldn't and we had a try against us which we are pretty filthy about.

"We've got to temper our thoughts and reflect that Newcastle really did tie up a bit in the second half."

Newcastle's acting director of rugby Steve Bates:
"We had a really difficult week and there were a lot of young lads out there who have not got a lot of experience at this level and haven't played much rugby at this intensity and that showed after half-time.

"That is where our tiredness showed from this week. We have not had any time to prepare. We played Wednesday night, didn't do anything Thursday, travelled yesterday and had a little runaround.

"We got here but we are taking on a good Premiership team with half a side ourselves and no preparation. I'm not particularly surprised but I thought, first-half particularly, we did not help ourselves with discipline.

"But, at the end, I think it was just the end of a couple of tough months for us."


Worcester: Delport; Garvey, Gear, Rasmussen, Benjamin; Drahm, M Powell; Windo, Lutui, Horsman, Rawlinson, Gillies, Talei, Sanderson (c), Horstmann.
Replacements: Taumoepeau, Matt Mullan, Will Bowley, Drew Hickey, Carlisle, Arr, Pennell.

Newcastle: A Tait; Phillips, M Tait, Visser, Rudd; S Jones, Dickson; Golding, Vickers, D Wilson, Perry, Sorenson, Woods, Williamson, Beattie (capt).
Replacements: Batty, McDonnell, Swinson, Browne, B Wilson, Grindal, Miller.




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Related to this story:

Premiership final day as it happened (10 May 08 |  English )
Premiership play-off line-up (10 May 08 |  English )
Bates left to rue lack of depth (08 May 08 |  Newcastle )
Newcastle 13-32 Wasps (07 May 08 |  English )
Bristol 21-22 Worcester (05 May 08 |  English )

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