Before this contest between the Premiership’s third and fourth-placed teams, there was much conjecture that Newcastle would prefer to finish fourth. It would, after all, mean travelling to face free-running Exeter rather than the iron fist of Sarries.
The conspiracy theorists must have looked at a Falcons side featuring Josh Matavesi at fly-half and starting with the three retirees – Scott Lawson, Rob Vickers and Ally Hogg – and allowed themselves a wry smile. But the real evidence that the Falcons were indifferent to defeat came with a curiously lacklustre performance and Wasps’ thumping bonus-point victory.
In front of a huge crowd of 10,100 tempted out by gloriously sunny conditions, Newcastle barely fired a shot for 65 minutes. Dean Richards’ men are usually cussedly determined, but they were comprehensively outplayed by a Wasps side which started slowly but quickly established a stranglehold on proceedings.
Newcastle drew first blood with a Sonatane Takulua penalty after a series of Falcons forward drives, but it was all downhill from there. Wasps hit the front soon after when replacement stand-off Matavesi was charged down on his 22 by hooker Tom Cruse, who regathered and scuttled over for the game’s first touchdown.
It could have been even worse for the Falcons. Twice in as many minutes Wasps should have extended their lead, Gaby Lovobalavu falling over with the line at his mercy after a scything break from Kyle Eastmond, then Josh Bassett dropping the ball as he tried to ground it for a try.
The show ponies in Wasps’ back division were not to be denied though, and five minutes before half-time the visitors moved the ball from a scrum under the Falcons posts. As the Newcastle backs rushed up, Danny Cipriani put in a lovely long pass to Elliot Daly on the touchline, the wing going trundling unopposed.
From there the pace of scoring gathered pace. Cipriani went over seconds before half-time, and three minutes after the break Bassett won a foot-race to touch down a well-judged Cipriani through kick. Daly almost added a fifth try moments later, only for former Falcons favourite Jimmy Gopperth to go over in the other corner seconds after coming on for Cipriani.
From there Wasps seemed content to see out the rest of the game, taking their foot off the gas and allowing Newcastle to register three tries in the last 15 minutes. Matavesi’s breakaway was followed by a score from wing Zach Kibirige and then a close-quarters try from lock Evan Olmstead. But as if to make a point, Wasps finished with a Gopperth penalty and a Willie Le Roux length-of-the-field try.
Richards will harbour few illusions, and if his aim was to preserve some of his best players and avoid injuries, this was mission accomplished. But if they play like this at Sandy Park, it will get ugly.