An injury scare to England outhalf Jonny Wilkinson and a sloppy second-half display that allowed an Irish revival marred what had started as an afternoon of exhibition rugby for Newcastle yesterday.
Wilkinson suffered neck spasms after making a tackle in the closing stages and needed several minutes of treatment before being helped from the field.
But Newcastle's director of rugby, Rob Andrew, said Wilkinson should be fit to face France next weekend.
On the field, Newcastle wasted no time in collecting the bonus point for scoring four tries. It was achieved within 27 minutes, and the Falcons looked on course for a cricket score, only to ease off the pressure in the second period as the Irish mounted a spirited fight back to get within seven points and earn a bonus point of their own.
There had been a hiccup for the home side though, with Irish scoring in 31 seconds. The visitors kicked off, gathered the ball, it was worked by backrow Chris Sheasby and Kieron Dawson to hooker Richard Kirke who squeezed in at the corner.
Within two minutes Wilkinson had wiped out the deficit. Lock Stuart Grimes made hard yards down the middle before releasing the outhalf. Three minutes later wing Michael Stephenson was rounding Justin Bishop for the second. Lock Hugh Vyvyan broke clear from a lineout for the third and full back David Walder was worked clear from a scrum close to the Irish line for the bonus point.
Scorers: Newcastle: Tries: Wilkinson, Stephenson, Vyvyan, Walder, Nesdale, Armstrong. Conversions: Wilkinson 6. London Irish: Tries: Kirk, Tonu'u, Sackey. Conversion: Everitt. Penalties: Everitt 6.
Newcastle: Walder; Maclure (Taione, h-t), Noon, May, Stephenson; Wilkinson (Chilten, 80), Armstrong; Peel (Graham, 59), Nesdale, Hurter, Grimes, Vyvyan (capt), Arnold (Devonshire, 71), Mower (Weir, 80), Jenner.
London Irish: Bishop (Cunningham, 16); Sackey, Appleford, Wright, Ezulike; Everitt, Campbell (Tonu'u, 43); Worsley (Hatley, 48), Kirke, Halford, Strudwick (capt), Fahrensohn, Halvey, Dawson, Sheasby (Danaher, 80).
Referee: C White (Cheltenham).
