Chick: Falcons aim to start fast and not fade

NEWCASTLE back rower Callum Chick says the Falcons will be flying when their Premiership campaign kicks off against champions Harlequins on September 19.

- ADAM HATHAWAY

Chick, who won two caps with England this summer, is buoyed by the know-how of Mike Brown coming in from the title winners and insists the Geordies are on the up and up.

Last campaign Dean Richards’ men were straight out of the blocks winning three out of three with Chick sidelined with a knee injury.

Now the 24-year old says Newcastle can use the Exeter blueprint after bloodying a few noses in their first season back since promotion from the Championship.

Chick said: “Last season we started really well, then had a bit of like a drop off in the middle and then finished well. If we had won one more game, it would have been equal to Exeter’s record for coming back up and most games won from promotion.