Aviva Premiership: Newcastle 16-14 Worcester

Newcastle 16-14 Worcester: Match stats

Newcastle tries: Takulua (75)
Newcastle conversions: Takulua (75)
Newcastle penalties:  Takulua (32, 36, 46) 

Worcester tries: Penalty (52), Olivier (58)
Worcester conversions: Mills (52, 58)

Match report

Newcastle kept their European Champions Cup dream alive with a late 16-14 victory over Worcester at Kingston Park.

The Warriors looked to have ended the Falcons' hopes of a seventh place finish in the Aviva Premiership and a possible play-off when they led 14-9 with six minutes left.

But Sonatane Takulua (pictured) touched down and then added the all-important conversion to seal what could prove to be a priceless win and one which moved Newcastle to within four points of Northampton.

Worcester dominated the first half but they bombed at least two gilt-edged try-scoring opportunities and found themselves 6-0 down at the break.

Bryce Heem should have grabbed the game's opening try when he was on the end of a free flowing move but he was hammered into touch on the corner flag by a crunching Sinoti Sinoti tackle.

Newcastle came under real pressure when scrum-half Francois Hougard put in a big tackle on number eight Callum Chick as he tried to pick up at the base of the scrum. It led to a Warriors scrum five metres from the Newcastle line but they wasted the chance when their front row were penalised for dropping the ball.

Back came Worcester with a line-out drive in the Falcons' 22 but flanker Mark Wilson came right through the maul to get his hands on the ball and win a penalty.

Warriors wing Perry Humphreys squandered another great chance when Ryan Mills chipped over the Falcons defence and Wynand Olivier collected the ball close to corner flag and popped it up for Humphreys but he lost it as he went to touch down.

Newcastle were finding it hard to handle Worcester at the breakdown, but their driving maul had Worcester in trouble. And when they kicked a penalty to the corner they came close to scoring and won another penalty which Takulua kicked in the 32nd minute for 3-0.

The scrum-half split the posts again four minutes later for another penalty following another drive up to the Warriors' line. He added a third just after the break for a 9-0 lead with Worcester again penalised at the maul but Worcester hit back with a 52nd minute penalty try when a driving maul went down on the line - it seemed a harsh decision - and Mills converted for 9-7.

There was nothing questionable about the Warriors' 60th-minute try from Olivier with a superb crossfield run out off defence from Humphreys and a perfect pass from Heem for Olivier to score, with Mills converting for a 14-9 lead.

Newcastle had chances in the closing minutes choosing to go to the corner three times but there was no penalty try for the Falcons despite three Worcester infringements.

It took a swift break and diving try from the five-metre scrum by Takalua, who also converted his own try to seal a narrow triumph for the Falcons.

Match reaction

Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards on potentially qualifying for the  European Champions Cup:  "We can still finish seventh and that's what the goal is next week at Bristol - but they will be dangerous. They have absolutely nothing to lose and that's when they'll be at their most dangerous.

"We went for it at the end of the game against Worcester. We had to score tries and we had to go for it and it paid off.

"We weren't at our best in some respects today, but we looked quite comfortable in defence and we have a class act in Sonatane Takulua." 

Worcester director of rugby Gary Gold on his side's late defeat: "We were very dominant in the first half and we showed massive character to come back in the second half, but the result was very disappointing and we have to really look at ourselves about that and why the penalty count against us was so high.

"Our game management was outstanding in every department but we just didn't come away with points when we should have. I suppose it was a job only 80 per cent done.

"There are lots of positives to take into our final game at Sixways next week not least of which was our defence against a really outstanding attacking side."