Tom Coventry: London Irish head coach dismisses 'poison club' situation

Tom Coventry has failed to guide London Irish to an away win in the Premiership this season

London Irish head coach Tom Coventry insists the club is "not falling apart" as they face three games to avoid relegation from the Premiership.

Irish suffered a 30-15 defeat against Sale on Saturday to leave them still four points adrift at the bottom.

The Exiles face fellow strugglers Newcastle away later this month in a game which could decide who goes down.

"Things just aren't going for us for at the moment and we need everything to do so," Coventry told BBC Sport.

Asked how he would motivate his players for the remainder of the season, Coventry replied: "I know we haven't been winning games and people think that the whole place is poison and everything's falling apart, it's just not like that.

"To be honest, they're [the players] a pretty good bunch to be involved with. We're just working hard as a team that's probably struggling for confidence and form."

Two late tries from Sale, who won at the Madejski Stadium for the first time since October 2006, took the game away from Irish after they had fought back to 16-15, and denied them a losing bonus point.

Newcastle's defeat at Harlequins meant the gap between the two sides remains at four points ahead of their meeting at Kingston Park on 17 April.