Newcastle Falcons Director of Rugby, Dean Richards
If you are playing Dean Richards at cards you had better bring your wallet.

That said, the Newcastle Falcons boss thinks he might have shown his hand too early.

The Aviva Premiership new-boys kick off the league season on September 6 when Bath visit Kingston Park.

There was no splitting them in south-west France on Tuesday night as Richards’ men played out a 21-21 draw with the West Country outfit.

Two Premiership teams meeting in pre-season is unusual in itself in recent years – even more so when it is the same two who will face off in the league’s opening week.

Richards, who devotes a fair chunk of his autobiography to his love of card games, said: “There was a little bit of caginess going on – not wanting to show each other what we have really got

“I think we probably showed Bath a little more than they showed us, but I am not really too bothered about that.

“If they think we are going to play that style of game in the first match of the season, then so be it.

“It is the same for both teams, so it is not as if either of us has gained a huge advantage over the other by playing this game.”

Richards’ insinuation Bath might profit from Newcastle’s airing of their play-book was not one which registered on Gary Gold’s radar, the former Falcons boss who is now in charge of Bath.

The South African’s eyebrow was raised at the assertion but, mind-games aside, there was no doubting the fact their run-out in Beziers had been useful.

Richards added: “Bath were without a few guys, and we were minus Grant Shiells, Franck Montanella, Andy Saull, Warren Fury, Rory Clegg, Adam Powell and Tane Tu’ipulotu.

“You could make a decent side out of those boys, who are all carrying knocks, but overall it has been a really beneficial trip.

“I could say the same of the Premiership Sevens and I think you saw that with the way guys like Joel Hodgson and Tom Catterick performed.

“I was very pleased with them, and for the guys to do so well in the sevens then back it up a few days later in the 15s is a superb effort. They were exceptionally good and the whole thing has been worth it.”

Meanwhile, Richards has explained the presence of former Glasgow Hawks prop Gary Strain in the Falcons’ side in France, saying: “Gary is a Scottish lad who has been playing in France for the last two years.

“He is on trial with us and we are having a look at him. He did some really good things, as did the whole team.”

This article was posted on 16-Aug-2013, 22:06 by Hugh Barrow.