Steve Diamond reveals how Newcastle ended the ‘longest run of losses’ in Premiership history
Steve Diamond celebrates Newcastle's win over Exeter Chiefs
Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Steve Diamond has said their gutsy 24-18 victory over Exeter Chiefs is ‘the monkey off the club’s back’, as they brought an end to the ‘longest run of losses’ in Premiership history.
Before Friday night’s win over the Chiefs, Newcastle had lost their previous 25 Premiership fixtures, a run which stretches back to March 2023.
“We’re trying to build something”
The Falcons have had a tough time of it in their opening four matches, including heavy home defeats to both Leicester Tigers and Sale Sharks; but speaking after the win over Exeter, Diamond highlighted his delight at securing his first win as Falcons boss since taking the reigns mid-way through last season.
“I’m delighted, the monkey’s off the club’s back of the longest run of losses,” he said.
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He added: “We’re trying to build something, it’s taking time, but the job in hand is to put on performances like that at home. Away from home, sometimes we’ll struggle with the squad we’ve got; but at home, that’s what I expect.”
Diamond has spoken very publicly about his need to ‘simplify’ things in the Falcons gameplan, and he was pleased with how his side stuck to this strategy against Exeter.
“I saw it a little bit against Bristol, didn’t see it against Leicester, but we’ve simplified everything and tonight was the first time we’ve stuck to the plan.”
He added: “We made a defensive error in the first five minutes where we came out of line, the old Newcastle, and we sorted that out. Then we looked pretty comfortable, I thought.”
“Crucial to us to stay with somebody in the league”
He had spoken in the build-up about how his side wanted to make it a ‘dogfight’, and he again pointed out how good it was to see his side ‘stay with somebody in the league’.
“(I’m) delighted, I think it was two sides who have been struggling and it was an arm wrestle,” said Diamond. “What we had to do was stay in it and a win tonight was crucial to us to stay with somebody in the league.”
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Despite ending that horrific 25-game streak, Diamond also highlighted things his side need to improve ahead of their next game against Gloucester.
“We struggled under the weather conditions, the wind, we couldn’t receive the high ball and that’s what kept Exeter in the game in the first half,” he said.
“That didn’t get any better throughout the game. So we know we’ve got things to work on, our lineout in the first half didn’t operate as swiftly as we’d like it.”
Things are certainly looking a lot brighter in the North West now, but the challenge for Diamond and his band of merry men is if they can turn one win into two next weekend.