Fired-up Falcons desperate to spoil Saints' party at Kingston Park

The black, green and gold need a win at Kingston Park to keep their Gallagher Premiership play-off hopes alive, but they will face a tough test against Falcons.

Newcaste have been formidable at home, having beaten the likes of Sale, Leicester and Gloucester at Kingston Park this season.

And Laycock told the Newcastle Falcons website: "Where we want to be as a squad is not on the back foot trying to stay in a contest – we want to be asserting ourselves on the teams we play against.

"The reality is we’ve got a bit of work to do before we can get there on a consistent basis, but the lads’ commitment to the game plan and to each other is absolutely outstanding.

"Friday is a big opportunity to spoil Northampton’s party because they have a bye on the last weekend, so this is their last game of the regular season. They need the points from this one to give themselves a chance of play-off rugby and we’ve got every intention of stopping them from doing that."

Falcons currently sit bottom of the Premiership, having lost 48-20 at Harlequins last weekend.

And Laycock said: "Northampton tend have a lot of points in their games at both ends of the field, and in many ways it’s a similar kind of challenge to the one we faced last weekend at Harlequins.

"I thought we defended well for an hour or more, but the pressure eventually told and we started to have a couple of mental switch-offs and lost a couple of collisions which enabled them to generate momentum and pull away right at the end.

"We didn’t really fire any shots in attack but we see Friday as a shot at redemption, and we’re excited about playing at home in front of a good home crowd."

Double centurions Alex Tait and Will Welch will bid farewell to the Falcons on Friday night.

And Laycock said: "There will definitely be a lot of emotion around the place following the announcements of Will Welch and Alex Tait retiring.

"They’re both outstanding characters who have given everything for this club, and it’s great that both guys will have the chance to receive the applause of the crowd before and after the game.

"That atmosphere just gives us a little more fuel on the fire in making sure the lads are putting their bodies on the line, and Mark Wilson has driven that really well this week. He’s got the squad in a great place emotionally and we’re all looking forward to what should be a fantastic occasion."