Diamond became the Falcons’ consultant director of rugby at the start of the year, the fifth person to lead the Premiership’s bottom, winless club in two years. He was confident they would not finish the campaign without a victory, but it did not materialise, although it should have against Leicester at Kingston Park.
Newcastle’s 40-point defeat last weekend to the team immediately above them in the table, Gloucester, meant their losing streak in the top flight stretched to 21 matches.
Their only success in the last 26 came at home to Gloucester in March last year and with a crop of young, homegrown players leaving for top four clubs in the close season, Diamond is facing the most formidable challenge of his coaching career.
The salary cap is going up to £6.4m next season, but Newcastle will be nowhere near the old mark of £5m and will rely on Diamond’s expertise in identifying players who will make a difference without blowing a hole in the budget.
He will look to turn Kingston Park into a ground where opponents are wary of treading. Newcastle’s average margin of defeat on the road this season was 29 points. At home it was 13 with only Saracens meeting with little resistance. They conceded 40 points or more away from home in five of their nine matches.
Denne historien er fra May 26, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra May 26, 2024-utgaven av The Rugby Paper.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Ten-try Chiefs show Pirates no mercy
TEN-TRY Exeter inflicted the backlash from six successive defeats in their worst ever start to a Premiership season on a young Pirates side suffering their own problems in the Championship.
South America look to keep on building
AS Sebastián Piñeyrúa's historic six-year term as President of Rugby Sudamérica comes to an end, his replacement shows no signs of slowing down.
Scarratt excited by new pathway
ENGLAND centurion Emily Scarratt is delighted with the new women's BUCS programme which aims to provide a smoother pathway for young aspiring female players.
Baxter: I want to make things better
ROB Baxter will not be walking away from Exeter, the only club still looking for a Premiership victory this season, believing he can get the Chiefs back on track and he cannot bear the thought of anyone else doing the job.
Pearce walks in his father's footsteps
PADDY Pearce is living a dream after emulating his father and great-uncle by playing for the club he supported as a boy, Bristol.
New England group will cause uncertainty
SO JUST when we thought that everything was getting sorted between the RFU, the clubs and players, a number of new agreements and a new group raises its head.
Galthie turns his sights to the future
FRANCE head coach Fabien Galthie offered the clearest hint yet of Les Bleus' future on Wednesday, when he released 19 players back F to their clubs for the ninth and final Top 14 round before the international break.
Gilmore has tightened up our defence - Anderson
CAMERON Anderson has hailed the impact made by defence coach Jason Gilmore, below, since he arrived at The Stoop in the summer.
Ampthill given 11-try lesson in class from Bath
BATH secured a thumping away success in the opening match of their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign against Ampthill at Dillingham Park.
New faces take the plaudits for Saints
NORTHAMPTON handed out a thorough lesson to a tame Leicester team in this one-sided East Midlands derby to launch the Premiership Cup.