Newcastle Falcons’ Consultant Director of Rugby Steve Diamond has said today’s 85-14 humiliation has helped him make a few decisions on ‘three or four players’ ahead of his rebuild. 

Newcastle have lost 15 games in a row and are languishing at the bottom of the table; but their defeat to Bristol was arguably the lowest point of the season.

Speaking to TNT Sports today, Diamond said it was ‘disappointing all round’: “It’s uncharted waters for me and for most of the lads in there. We’ve come across a very good side on form, and we’re obviously lacking in confidence.”

He added: “We didn’t touch the ball in the first 13 or 14 minutes and we’d conceded three tries. I think the game was over then, so disappointed really. A disappointing day all round.”

Diamond also expressed his need to put an arm around some of his players in the coming days: “I’ve not been in the game for 23 years by just barking. We have to work with what we’ve got, but an experience like this is a line in the sand.

He added: “I won’t be reviewing the game, they can have a couple of days off. They have a seven hour bus journey home, and I’ll see them on Wednesday morning.”

The job gets even harder for the Falcons from here if they want to avoid a season whitewash, as they face Sale Sharks, Bath and Gloucester in their final three games.

Steve Diamond on ‘making decisions’ for next season

Steve Diamond already faced a huge task at Newcastle, but he told TNT Sports today’s defeat to Bristol Bears has helped him make ‘a few decisions’.

“A few decisions on three or four players that will culminate in us being a better side moving forward next year,” he said.

Diamond added: “The only positive is the slow process I’ve embarked on to change the club, it’s a step in the right direction because it’s made some decisions for me.”

Falcons have already brought in Sale Shark’s flanker Cameron Neild for next season, but it’s clear he will need to hit the market if they want to avoid another season rooted to the foot of the table.