Jonny Wilkinson's wretched run of injuries continues. The sight of the intense, bruised fly-half limping off near the end of a rugby match, this time clutching his right hamstring after Paul Hodgson scythed him down with a hard, clean tackle as he closed on the tryline, looks as if it is on a loop.
He should know tomorrow if he will be fit for England's game against France on Sunday. But Brian Ashton, watching in the south stand, didn't look overjoyed. It was as depressing a sight for the England coach as the scoreboard was for Newcastle.
John Fletcher, the Falcons' director of rugby, said: 'He's got cramp in his hamstring, so we had to take him off. Whether or not it's anything else, it's too early to say. We've just got to ice it for 48 hours before we can do anything. Brian Ashton was down in the dressing room to see him.'
If Wilkinson can't make Twickenham, Ashton could do worse than pick his opposite number, Shane Geraghty, in his place. An intelligent place-kicking stand-off who has already represented the Saxons, Geraghty had another blinder.
His club coach, Brian Smith, has no doubts. 'Geraghty is as good as anyone in the country - and he was playing against the best today. Jonny Wilkinson has set the benchmark for skill, but I would say Shane has put a marker down today.'
Fletcher agreed. 'I thought their inside-backs were super, Geraghty and [Mike] Catt.'
Catt did his chances of an England recall no harm, either. They were an impressive fulcrum at the heart of a smooth, dangerous Irish attack, especially in the first half.
Wilkinson, one of eight current England starting players turning out in the Premiership yesterday, was behind the 8 ball before they kicked off, as Fletcher opted for a free-form backline, with players swapping roles from the wing to the scrum. Toby Flood, notionally 11, did not really play on the wing. He popped up at centre, stand-off, even full-back. Mathew Tait was similarly mobile. They wandered about like lost sheep. As did Jamie Noon, Matt Burke, Tom May - and Wilkinson.
As free-form rugby it was admirable. Very French. In practice it was a total shambles and the Irish led 24-0 at the break. Newcastle had not so much a Maginot Line as a washing line. Wilkinson never got a chance to stamp his authority on a game the Irish controlled from the start with old-fashioned zest, direct running, astute kicking by Catt and the slick passing and cool judgment of Geraghty.
Then a minor shock. Jonny missed a tackle - the 6ft 4in Sailosi Tagicakibau eluding him near the left touchline. Two phases on, an arrow-like Geraghty pass cut out two players, and all 21 stone of Tonga Lea'aetoa crashed over the unattended line.
Next, Joe McDonnell transgressed at a ruck and was sent to the bin. From the next phase, Robbie Russell bullied his way through, with the pack on his back. The points mounted, Seilala Mapusua cracking a shattered defence moments later.
If this were a fight, the referee might have stepped in at this point - but the Falcons came fitfully to life in the second half, Flood to the fore.
As Newcastle enjoyed their longest period of dominance, Fletcher threw replacements into the fray with 25 minutes left. Still they struggled. Then Flood scored, swerving through midfield from short range and reaching across the line in the tackle.
Catt saved a try with a diving, touchline tackle on Ollie Phillips on the right, but there was no stopping the replacement winger from the next phase on the other side.
Geraghty restored order with two late tries, converting both. At least one fly-half was smiling at the end. He might be grinning from ear to ear on Sunday.
Madejski Stadium 10,003
London Irish Flutey; D Armitage, Mapusua, Catt (capt; Ojo 77)), Tagicakibau; Geraghty, Hodgson (Willis 78); Hatley, Russell (Paice ht), Lea'aetoa (Collins 50), Kennedy, Casey, Roche (Magne 62), S Armitage, Murphy (Leguizamon 64)
Tries Lea'aetoa, Russell, Mapusua, Geraghty 2 Cons Geraghty 5 Pen Geraghty
Newcastle Burke (capt; Crichton 55); May (Phillips 60), Tait, Flood, Noon; Wilkinson, Grindal (Dickson 46); McDonnell, Thompson (Long 55), Ward (Golding 55), Sorenson, Oakes (Buist 60), Parling, Harris (Wilson 46), Winter
Tries Flood, Phillips Con Wilkinson
Referee A Rowden
