In a remarkable opening weekend to the competition both matches in the Falcons’ pool were drawn, leaving all four sides tied on two points going in to this weekend’s second round of matches.

Having resisted the urge to select Mathew Tait at fullback in the injury-enforced absence of Matthew Burke, director of rugby John Fletcher said: “That’s the selection for this week – whatever happens after that we’ll just have to wait and see based on form and based on what I think is the best team for the next game.

“Taity is in at 13 this week, yes he can play elsewhere but we will only look at that when we feel the time is right.

“Even in pre-season I was keen to see Tom May at fullback – obviously not in the circumstances we have at the moment with Matt Burke being injured – but I thought he did well there down at Gloucester last weekend and the balance of the team for this game I think is better served with Taity in the centres and Tom at 15.”

One familiar name returning to Kingston Park is that of Dragons and former Newcastle captain Colin Charvis, with Fletcher stating: “I don’t think Charv has a point to prove to anyone here.

“He was an outstanding servant for the Falcons, he was made club captain and he was a talented very popular member of our squad.

“Charv is a good person, a fine character and a lot of the boys still keep in touch with him. Being the sort of player he is it will be a fiery 80 minutes out on the field and then handshakes all round and a pint with our lads, because he is a top man but also a great professional.”

With both sides going in to the game on the back of draws on opening day, Fletcher said of Saturday’s opponents: “They drew last weekend with the European champions London Wasps, so that suggests they are in good form and we won’t be taking them lightly at all.

“They are a good side who look like they have an excellent spirit in the camp, so we’re expecting a tough match. Their 3-3 draw last weekend was a low-scoring game because of the weather, to be honest, and in those conditions it’s very difficult to move the ball around.

“It certainly wasn’t one for the purist, but it was still a decent game with a lot of intensity and physicality. From the tape it looked like the draw was a fair result, and they are a good side so we won’t be taking our foot of the gas at all. If we do that we’ll get beat, it’s as uncomplicated as that.

“The Dragons are a side that want to play, I think they’ll come up here with that sort of philosophy, so from a supporters’ point of view I think it should be an enjoyable game.

“The exciting thing about Cup football is that the pressure is off in a sense, it’s very much just a case of who turns up on the day, and that tends to suit our players as our record in the competition would testify.”

With the pool poised on a knife edge as all sides sit on two points, Fletcher outlined the position, stating: “If we win our next two games then we’re in a strong position with a decent chance of going through to a semi-final.

“We know what’s at stake, and this is a big opportunity for us. Last weekend at Gloucester not many people outside of the club gave us a hope in hell, but we had belief and knew what we were capable of. Now it’s pretty much winner-takes-all, and the players have to take that sort of attitude in to the game.”

With a number of his stars still sidelined by injury, speaking about the likes of captain Phil Dowson, Jonny Wilkinson and England Saxons flanker Ben Woods, Fletcher said: “They’re all reasonably close.

“It’s a question of days and weeks rather than months, but I don’t put deadlines on players returning because there’s just no point. Once they’re medically fit they will be available for selection. I don’t concern or worry myself unnecessarily with players who aren’t available, because the medical team are working as hard as possible to bring them back and when they are fit they then put themselves forward for selection.”

With Cup matters now at the forefront of his mind, he added: “The EDF Energy Cup has always been high on our list of priorities, simply because it’s the next game and the next game is always the most important.

“We are in three competitions, this is one of them, and you could argue this is the easiest one in terms of getting in to Europe because three games and you’re in a semi-final if you get it right. In my opinion we have the toughest draw out of any of the sides in the competition – Wasps and Gloucester away from home and Newport at Kingston Park. We have to win our home game, which we knew we always had to do anyway.”

Sporting some fine facial fuzz ahead of this weekend’s televised clash, all in the name of charity, Fletcher said: “The beard is doing well, thank you very much.

“It’s for National Geordie Beard Day to mark the possible home debut of Carl Hayman. I started last week, but I think I’ve peaked too early!

“One week’s growth is driving me insane, but I’ve made the decision that I’m going to hang in there and go the distance til December 16 because it’s for a great cause with the Wooden Spoon.

“The sad truth is that I now have more hair on my chin than on top of my head, and the players keep telling me I’ve got my head on upside down!”

All seats for the game have already sold out, but standing tickets remain on sale by calling 0871 226 60 60.

Newcastle Falcons team to face Newport Gwent Dragons:

15 Tom May
14 Ollie Phillips
13 Mathew Tait
12 Steve Jones
11 John Rudd
10 Toby Flood
9 Lee Dickson

1 Joe McDonnell (captain)
2 Matt Thompson
3 David Wilson
4 Andy Perry
5 Mark Sorenson
6 Geoff Parling
7 Brent Wilson
8 Russell Winter

Replacements:

16 Andy Long
17 Jon Golding
18 Jason Oakes
19 Ed Williamson
20 Hall Charlton
21 Tim Visser
22 Alex Tait

Not considered due to injury: Andy Buist (shoulder), Ben Woods (hand), Ross Beattie (shoulder), Phil Dowson (shoulder), Jonny Wilkinson (ankle), Jamie Noon (knee), James Hoyle (hip), Mark Mayerhofler (shoulder), Matthew Burke (knee), Adam Dehaty (knee), Greg Irvin (knee).