First try for Tom Christie sparks rare Premiership win for Newcastle

Playing at home, Newcastle overcame a strong finish by Gloucester. Up by 20 points with the final quarter to play, Newcastle held on to claim a much-needed win. While still at the bottom of the Premiership table, their win left them four points short of second-last Gloucester.

Newcastle coach Alan Dickens said after the game, "It has been a long time coming.

"The performance was fantastic but credit to Gloucester, they came back and had the momentum at the end. There are lots and lots of positives and I am pleased. We had opportunities for a bonus point and to take the game away, that is an area we will look at."

Former Chiefs' coach Clayton McMillan was disappointed with the manner of his Munster side's 3-28 loss to Ulster in the URC. Munster was without several of its Ireland internationals who were on enforced leave.

The loss came on the back of an 8-13 loss to Leinster a week earlier.

"It just wasn't good enough. Nowhere near the standard that we want to set.

"Not a great day at the office, but as coaches, we own it first and foremost.

"We've been a little clunky in our performances, haven't quite hit our stride. We've tried a few different things [but] haven't struck the right chord just yet. So it starts with us.

"We'll reflect on what we can do better. We've got a nine-day turnaround now, so we need to leverage off that to try and find the solutions."

Munster's next game is away to Toulon in the Champions Cup.