Tetley's Cup: Falcons grab cup from Quins

Harlequins 27 Newcastle 30

Newcastle ripped the Tetley’s Bitter Cup from Harlequins’ grasp with a sensational injury time smash and grab raid at Twickenham.

Full-back Dave Walder scored a cup-winning try in the fourth minute of injury time to leave Quins distraught.

The Londoners had led since the 15th minute, their Irish international fly-half Paul Burke delivering a record-breaking display with 22 points.

Burke’s try, conversion and five penalties eclipsed Paul Grayson’s 18-point haul for Northampton against Wasps last season.

He outshone opposite number Jonny Wilkinson, who missed four kicks at goal and was a pale shadow of the player that rewrote Six Nations history with 35 points for England against Italy just seven days earlier.

But Newcastle, despite trailing for most of the match, dug deep when it really mattered as Walder sprinted over to send their fans among a 71,000-strong crowd wild.

Typically, Wilkinson landed the touchline conversion, and Quins’ players slumped to the ground one by one in disbelief after referee Ed Morrison sounded his final whistle.

Walder’s try arrived just eight minutes after Falcons number eight Jim Jenner dived over to threaten Quins’ 27-18 advantage.

But Falcons took the try count 4-2, arguably justifying their claims to a trophy which had eluded them when Wasps won the 1999 Tetley’s final.

The thrilling finale rounded off a sparkling match packed with attacking adventure and individual brilliance which richly entertained an appreciative audience.

Quins, in their first final for eight years, took the initiative after Morrison led both teams out on his farewell Twickenham appearance before retirement.

But despite dominating early possession, Quins couldn’t make it count, and Newcastle showed them the way on nine minutes.

Walder’s break allowed blockbusting wing and man-of-the-match Inga Tuigamala to make further headway before centre Tom May completed the job through a try that Wilkinson converted.

But Quins wasted little time fighting back number eight Roy Winters stealing lineout ball from a Falcons throw, flanker Pat Sanderson driving on and England centre Will Greenwood delivering a scoring pass to their Australian World Cup-winning skipper David Wilson.

Fly-half Burke followed up a 12th-minute penalty strike by hitting the post with his conversion attempt, yet the biggest English cup final audience since 1997 were already enjoying value for money.

Wilkinson’s renowned defensive qualities rescued Newcastle when he hauled down Quins hooker Keith Wood, and his example was magnificently emulated by half-back partner Gary Armstrong.

Quins full-back Ryan O’Neill looked to have done the hard part, crossing Falcons’ line, but ex-Scotland skipper Armstrong somehow got his body underneath O’Neill and denied him a try.

Burke’s second penalty, on 28 minutes, deservedly increased Quins’ advantage, only for Wilkinson to keep Newcastle in touch through a long-range goal that underlined his phenomenal accuracy.

For once, Wilkinson’s radar deserted him just before the break though, when a 45-metre penalty attempt drifted well wide, and Burke extended Quins’ advantage with the last kick of a frantic first-half.

It gave the Twickenham-based outfit a 14-10 interval edge, which rewarded an impressive pack-driven display and set up an intriguing second 40 minutes.

Burke and Wilkinson exchanged long-range penalties during early second-half flurries, before Newcastle boss Rob Andrew made a quickfire double substitution.

Keen for fresh forward impetus, Andrew sent on prop Ian Peel for Micky Ward and replaced captain Doddie Weir with Hugh Vyvyan.

Wilkinson required treatment after being on the wrong end of a Quins’ forward surge, and although he recovered quickly, Newcastle continued to make little attacking headway.

Wilkinson’s second penalty miss coincided with flanker Richard Arnold replacing Rob Devonshire, and Quins, enjoying ascendancy thanks to Burke, contentedly played for position.

Burke’s fifth penalty from five attempts gave Newcastle more to worry about at 20-13 adrift, yet their response proved immediate.

Walder’s pass put May, two-try hero of Falcons’ semi-final triumph against Sale, clear, but he still had plenty of work to do.

Somehow, he scythed through the combined tackle of centre Nick Burrows and flanker Rory Jenkins, then sidestepped O’Neill for a stunning solo touchdown.

Wilkinson couldn’t convert, reducing his strike-rate to a way below-par 50%, and Quins then dredged up a score that matched May’s effort.

Substitute wing Ben Gollings broke from deep, Greenwood made the hard yards, and Wood’s brilliant running angle enabled Burke to cross unopposed for a try that he also converted.

But Quins’ dream died amid remarkable injury time scenes.