Walder talks tough for Newcastle

JONNY WILKINSON’S faithful understudy will step into the Heineken Cup spotlight today after firing a defiant message at Newcastle’s European detractors.

Pundits suggest the Falcons will suffer a Parc des Princes pummelling against French champions Stade Francais on their Heineken Cup quarter-final debut.

But fly-half deputy Dave Walder insists they should not be written off. To compound Newcastle’s degree of difficulty, international talismen Wilkinson and Colin Charvis will, at best, only be used off the replacements’ bench following their prolonged injury struggles.