Exclusive: Alex Tait talks to RugbyFanCast

Newcastle Falcons have battled to get from the bottom to the top. They were dropped into the Championship wasteland for the 2012/13 season, however this year has been their time to come back fighting. Falcons Full back Alex Tait has spent his whole playing career at the club and understands the importance of being in the Premiership and what it could mean for the club in the future.

“It’s absolutely nerve wracking, you’ve got to keep your concentration and your performance towards the end of the season, we just want to do as well as we can and keep going.”

Even though Newcastle secured a promotion at the start of this season there is no guarantee that they will still be here at the start of next season and they sure do know it.

“The key for us this season is to make sure that we’re staying up in the Premiership so that we can build for next year. “

“There is always pressure to perform in professional sport and now we’re in the Premiership we want to be competing.”

There are many perks of playing in the Premiership but Tait and the Falcons boys get a real buzz from playing against the top teams in the country.

“ I love playing against them, that’s why we want to play in the Premiership. So you can play against the best teams, I think the boys relish it and I relish playing those big games.”

“In the back of your mind, if you’re against an international player it’s that added incentive especially if you manage to get a win, the feeling is even better.”

With seven more games to go until D-day and only 12 points between Newcastle Falcons and a kiss of death from relegation now is the time to give their all. Whilst statistics are on their side we all know it’s not over until that final whistle is blown on the 10^th May.

“We want to keep pushing on, we obviously want to stay up but I think it’s a bit of personal pride to try and play the best that you can and get as far up the table.”

“I can’t emphasise enough how competitive this league is, especially towards the end of the season. Everyone is scrabbling to either get into the Heineken cup or try and push on and stay away from that bottom spot.”

As end of season games go they’ve got quite a smooth ride in comparison to some clubs. Playing the like of bottom team regulars Gloucester, London Irish and Worcester it should make for interesting viewing.

“ I think that they’re all going to be very difficult. Our aim for the season is to stay up and try and win as many games as we can of those last games.”

“It’s the old cliché isn’t it, you’ve got to prepare for every game as much as you can.”

Every player has that dream of how they’d like to see the season finish. Tait’s is “to win every game, from here on now. Beat Leicester and beat everyone else that we play. That would be brilliant.” The next few weeks will certainly show whether lady luck has made a trip up north, but with Newcastle 12 points clear of relegation and Worcester continuing to struggle their fate is largely in their own hands.