It is 20 years almost to the day since Newcastle last won English rugby’s domestic league title. Coincidentally, 1998 was also the year the iconic Angel of the North sculpture, designed by Antony Gormley, was erected in Gateshead. Both were towering achievements but, for a long time, just one of them seemed to have been built to last.
Only now are Newcastle Falcons beginning to stretch their muscular arms once again, guided by a man who has had an even more tumultuous couple of decades. As it happens Dean Richards also made his first foray into management with Leicester in 1998, taking over from Bob Dwyer, and subsequently leading them to four Premiership titles and two European Cups in four seasons. Dragging Newcastle up from the league’s nether regions on a modest budget has, in its own way, been equally impressive.
Written by Robert Kitson
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/may/18/newcastle-move-restores-reputations-dean-richards-falcons-premiership under the title “Newcastle move restores reputations of Dean Richards and the Falcons | Robert Kitson”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
