McGeechan hails England pair

Ian McGeechan believed England duo Danny Cipriani and Josh Lewsey were key to Wasps' 26-13 EDF Cup victory over Newcastle at Kingston Park on Friday.

Wasps scored four tries to pick up a bonus point and the visitors' director of rugby believed the pair, who recently hit the headlines for their training ground spat, were central figures.

McGeechan said: "I thought Danny's game management was better tonight and Josh has had three very good games for us on the trot."

He added: "We've come away with four tries and a bonus point so we can't complain because we usually don't find it too easy at Newcastle."

It was not vintage Cipriani as he missed two relatively easy first-half kicks but he did manufacture a crucial second-half try for Tom Voyce.

RFU director of rugby Rob Andrew, who was in the crowd, will have been pleased to see the fly-half come through unscathed, while Falcons centre Jamie Noon, who was stretchered off in the first half, is believed to have nothing more serious than bad concussion.

Newcastle director of rugby Steve Bates said: "It hasn't been a lucky evening in terms of injuries or the result, but Jamie is fine although he got whacked and it looks like concussion.

"He had a bit of tingling down one arm which is why the medical staff took all the precautions they did and Jamie was out for a while, but he is walking around downstairs now and seems fine."

He added: "Wasps are a quality team and we battled really well but we didn't look comfortable when we had the ball and we will have to look at that."