By NEALE HARVEY

Improving: Newcastle lock Calum Green

NEWCASTLE forwards coach Micky Ward reckons competition for places and a rock solid defence will underpin his side’s drive for a first top six finish in 16 years.
Falcons last ended a Premiership campaign in the top-half in 2002 – a time when Tyneside legend Ward, 38, was propping at coalface while stars like Jonny Wilkinson, Tom May, Jamie Noon, Pat Lam and Hugh Vyvyan were in their pomp.
Ward, right, is confident those glory days can be repeated. He told The Rugby Paper: “Everyone always says they had their best ...