Newcastle Red Bulls: Alan Dickens dismayed by early-season slump

Newcastle Red Bulls head coach Alan Dickens said his side have gone backwards after their 52-14 mauling at Harlequins.

Dickens saw much positivity in Newcastle’s spirited display against Gallagher Prem leaders Northampton Saints in losing 36-19 earlier this month and hoped they would carry this into the game against Harlequins on Saturday.

Instead Newcastle flopped and Dickens admits the players exchanged “harsh words” after coming in 35-0 down at half-time.

Pointless Newcastle are bottom of the Gallagher Prem and a frustrated Dickens told BBC Radio Newcastle: “Look, it’s kind of one step forward, two steps back really.

“I think there were a lot of disappointed players in the changing room, not at the end of the game, at half-time.

“There were some harsh words spoken between themselves in terms of saying that performance wasn’t good enough, that they needed to go out in second half and put that right.

“Certainly in the first half, we weren’t accurate enough. There were little knock-ons, forward passes, going into touch and that handed the ball back to Harlequins and they are a very, very dangerous side.

“The other element of the first half is we dropped off too many tackles, and all of those compiled meant it was a very, very tough first half.

“It’s a very, very disappointing result, certainly the way we started.”