Steve Diamond pledged that his Newcastle side will “have to go back to basics” after watching them capitulate and concede three tries in the final 10 minutes at Kingston Park.
The frustrated and furious Falcons’ chief said: “If you can’t defend a maul then you’re not going to win a game of rugby. I’m the most disappointed I’ve been since I took this job, because that game was there for the taking.
“Just after the hour mark we were three points down and right in the contest, despite admittedly not playing particularly well.
“But we couldn’t defend the maul, and for some reason continued kicki...