By Mark Smith at the Sports Ground, Galway 18 August 2004
Newcastle Falcons got their 2004-5 season off to a winning start in Galway on Tuesday, beating a determined Connacht side 32-9.

The return to action of England fly half Jonny Wilkinson was the big draw for many, and the 25-year-old played the first half without any any reaction to his shoulder or neck.

Wales captain Colin Charvis also made his Falcons bow, exerting his authority in the pack, while Luke Gross, Mike McCarthy and Andy Long all took the field for the first time in a Newcastle shirt - replacement hooker Long even scoring a second-half try.

The Falcons escaped with a relatively clean bill of health, although a dead leg sustained by wing Tom May could put him in doubt for Monday’s game against Munster.

The match, played out in sunny and mild conditions despite the week’s previous downpour, attracted a bumper crowd of 4,500 - impressive considering that Connacht’s usual gate is in the region of 1,900. All vantage points were taken, and supporters even crammed on to the adjacent greyhound track to catch a glimpse of the action.

As well as Wilkinson’s return, the game also saw a milestone for another great no.10 of the modern era, Connacht and Ireland veteran Eric Elwood.

Elwood played his 150th game for the province, becoming the first ever player to reach that total after more than a decade of service.

But it was Wilkinson who had the first say on the scoreboard with a penalty from just right of the posts following an offside infringement by the Connacht backs.

The fly half, closely watched by a massive media contingent, took contact and gave it back without problem, not shirking away from his usual abrasive style in the least.

lwood then levelled the scores with a calmly-struck penalty of his own after Newcastle were judged to have infringed at a midfield ruck.

Wilkinson had a chance to re-take the lead from 45 metres soon after, but opted for a touch finder from the penalty, and with 24 minutes gone Connacht then took the lead from a second Elwood penalty, this time from 40 metres out.

Elwood then repeated the feat from 30 metres out in front of the uprights, while Wilkinson turned down two further penalty goals, going instead for attacking line outs.

As with all pre-season games, the early stages saw both sides searching for match sharpness, the end result being the occasional dropped ball and communication error as they settled into their patterns of play.

The half-time score ended up at 9-3 in Connacht’s favour, with Dave Walder being among the half-time replacements as he took Wilkinson’s place.

Another substitution at the interval saw Mathew Tait introduced, and the 18-year-old wing set up a try within one minute of being on the field, linking up with Charvis down the right hand side before Scotland lock Stuart Grimes picked up the loose ball to score the opening try, Walder converting.

Walder then scored a try of his own near the left corner after going himself from the breakdown, while Elwood left the field to a standing ovation from the Connacht fans straight afterwards.

Charvis nearly marked his Falcons debut with a try from a five-metre scrum, but despite barging over the line forcefully, the Welshman was held and could not ground the ball.

As the visitors piled on the pressure, the Connacht pack conceded penalties, one of which Walder tapped over with no problem from short range midway through the second half.

Elwood’s replacement, Paul Warwick, had a chance to get Connacht back in the game with a penalty of his own, although his effort drifted wide right of the posts from 35 metres out.