Marler's mic drop, Falcons' film night & Fasogbon's wave

Newcastle lie two points above Exeter in ninth after their wins over the Chiefs and Saracens

Only one place to start - a win that will also surely begin Newcastle’s sales pitch to prospective buyers.

Before the Falcons beat Exeter on the other side of the international break, they had been on a losing streak of 25 successive top-flight defeats.

Now, after a string of wins in the Premiership Cup, they have five victories in their last six games – the most recent and most notable being this downing of Saracens.

The underdog had their day in some style. This was no smash-and-grab. No defensive trenches were dug into the Kingston Park 3G. Instead they were just sharper and cleaner than the visitors, with a ferocious commitment to their cause.

Two incisive tries from their wings – Alex Hearle slicing under the posts, Adam Radwan scampering into the corner – came after composed, clinical play from the men inside.

The pack led by the tungsten-tough trio of Jamie Blamire, Tom Gordon and Callum Chick resisted Saracens’ attempts to wrestle the initiative back.

A lack of international call-ups has also allowed then to forge some impressive cohesion.

Their performance was soundtracked by movie hits as part of a cinema-themed ticketing push, and when the final whistle segued into Kenny Loggins’s Footloose, the scenes were suitably joyous with the players celebrating long and hard with more than 6,000 fans.

Semore Kurdi, who has owned the club for more than decade, has put the Falcons up for sale, offering someone the chance to invest in the squad and energise a sport-mad city.

It has been done before. In the late 1990s, Sir John Hall, owner of Newcastle United, bankrolled the signing of Va’aiga Tuigamala and others to capture the Premiership title that eluded his football side.

These Falcons are operating at lower altitudes. But they will now relish their shot at table-topping Bath when the Premiership resumes on the weekend before Christmas.

Centre of attention

Janse van Rensburg moved to the Premiership in 2021 when he signed for London Irish from Japanese side NEC Green Rockets

Business in the front, party out back.

Benhard Janse van Rensburg – like his mullet haircut – is a centre for all circumstances.

A defensive rock and reliable hit-up merchant (reaching a game-high 21 carries against Harlequins), he is also a deft distributer and picker of astute angles.

He scored the Bears’ fifth try in a fine 48-24 win, slinging out a long pass to Jack Bates, and tracking a supporting line to take a return. His fading run inside and one-hand offload then paved the way for Santiago Grondona to cross.

The 27-year-old South African-born centre qualifies to represent England on residency grounds in summer 2026 and Steve Borthwick is reportedly a fan.

For the time being though, barring a Springbok swoop, it will be Bristol fans alone who get to enjoy his skills, along with a stellar supporting cast.

Judging by his debut and a formidable track record at Edinburgh, Viliame Mata will fit in just fine as well.

The 33-year-old Fijian international has been sidelined by injury since his summer move south, but revelled in the open spaces, rumbling around with intent in his hour on the pitch.

Second row Joe Owen - making his first Premiership start – was electric, carrying for 48 metres, the most of any Bears forward. Meanwhile Kieran Marmion and Gabriel Ibitoye added pace through hands and feet.

With four wins in their last five in the Premiership, the mojo is rising down the M4.

Mouth-watering European ties against Leinster and La Rochelle follow over the next two weekends.

Pepper basking in Bath limelight

Pepper knocks back England wing Immanuel Feyi-Waboso in Bath's win over Exeter

England’s options are multiple, but Bath’s Guy Pepper is showing some sharp elbows to get to the front of the back-row queue.

The 21-year-old was relentless last season at Newcastle, finishing second in the regular-season tackling stats (behind Harlequins' Will Evans) and fifth in the turnover count.

At the Recreation Ground, he is getting to do more work on the other side of the ball. He scored his third Premiership try of the season on Saturday, smashing through the Exeter fringe defence on the way to a 19-15 win.

After playing in England A’s demolition of Portugal in February, a leg injury meant he missed out on the chance to impress further against Australia’s second string last month.

Northampton flankers Tom Pearson and Henry Pollock, and Saracens number eight Tom Willis were the starters that day, with Exeter’s Greg Fisilau on the bench.

At his current rate, Pepper will have reclaimed his place by the time of the meeting with Ireland A in February. If he hasn’t it, it might be because Borthwick's senior squad has come calling.

Prop star Fasogbon continues scrum antics

Fasogbon has appeared in all seven of Gloucester's Premiership matches this season, starting seven

Is it disrespectful? Is it just a bit of fun? Or might it just be both?

Gloucester prop Afolabi Fasogbon, part of England under-20 World Cup winning team from the summer, continues to upset his elders.

After his send-off to Ellis Genge in September, when he waved the replaced Bristol prop off to the bench, 20-year-old Fasogbon gave Northampton’s Tom West similar treatment, with a shushing gesture thrown in, after winning a scrum penalty on Saturday.

On both occasions, Fasogbon’s trash talk has been accompanied by the Cherry and Whites coming up trumps with the win.

The front-rowers may not get much recognition on the shiny award-night stages, but this prop deserves his props for bringing some showbiz glitter to the coalface.

Marler's 'final, final game'

Marler has won two Premiership titles during his 15 years with Harlequins

As Joe Marler laced them up for a 286th time, he pulled on a quartered shirt that had been specially embroidered with a message commemorating his “final, final game” with a crossed fingers emoji.

Marler famously retired from international rugby in 2018, only to be coaxed back and continue playing for England until November this year.

As ever though Marler had the last word.

In his post-match interview with TNT Sports, he claimed he intended to retire from club rugby at the same time as ending his international career for a second time, and only turned out for a final time against Bristol because his club wanted fellow loosehead Fin Baxter to get some rest.

He finished the interview with a literal mic drop, before wandering off for a final circuit of the Stoop.