Newcastle beat Leeds to reach Championship final

Newcastle will play Bedford in the Championship final after a 34-30 aggregate win over Leeds Carnegie at Kingston Park today.
Jimmy Gopperth kicked all the Falcons’ points from the tee as they won the game 15-6 to set up the title decider against the high-flying Blues, who brushed Nottingham aside in the other semi-final.
However, the Falcons will be the only ones playing for promotion to the Premiership as Bedford recently failed to meet the minimum standards criteria to be promoted.
If they were to win then London Welsh wouldn’t be relegated from the top-tier of English rugby.
Newcastle went undefeated until the last round of the regular season against Bristol and their 24-19 defeat in the first leg at Headingley last Monday meant a third loss on the bounce would mean another year in the second tier for the Falcons.
But Dean Richards’ men went back to basics and, lead by an outstanding Mark Wilson, their domination up front meant they were never threatened against a Leeds side who, deprived of possession, could never put their running game in place.
Newcastle had the better start of the two sides and it was rewarded after eight minutes when Gopperth kicked his first penalty of the game.
The Kiwi fly-half kicked another one from the tee to make it 6-0 but most importantly to go 25-24 in front on aggregate.
Newcastle went 12 points clear with two further penalties but on their first real incursion inside the Falcons’ half, Joe Ford put Leeds on the board to reduced the gap to trail 12-3 at the break.
Leeds played the second half with the wind on their back and Ford used it wisely to slot a long range drop goal and reduce the gap to a single point on aggregate.
Gopperth gave the home side more room with his fifth penalty but failed his next two attempts in quick succession which could have put the outcome of the game beyond doubt.
The visitors enjoyed a bit more possession in the last ten minutes of the game but they could never fault the well-organised Falcons’ defence and Kingston Park could celebrate.
For Newcastle
Penalties: Gopperth 5
For Leeds
Penalties: Ford
Drop goals: Ford
Star man: Mark Wilson – Newcastle Falcons
Referee: Wayne Barnes