Newcastle match off as winds pummel Kingston Park

The 10,200 sell-out game was called off 90 minutes before kick-off on the grounds of spectator safety.

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With winds gusting around 60mph and a forecast indicating 75mph, Kingston Park staff had already taken down several advertising hoardings and removed wheelie bins from the ground.

But with workers struggling to put up a replacement post, part of the West stand roof was blown off and on to the pitch.

With spectators not allowed into the ground, the match was called off after discussions between referee Tony Spreadbury and Kingston Park stadium manager David Culling.

Officials from both clubs then discussed the possibility of re-scheduling the game for Sunday, but it was decided it was too short a timescale to put everything in place and the match will now be played later in the season.

Spreadbury said: "When I arrived at the ground, the safety officer asked to see me about the weather forecast.

"The post snapping was a big concern. Another one could have gone during the match and the possibility of an injury to a player or spectators doesn't bear thinking about.

"It's such a pity with a good game in prospect in front of a full house and I was so looking forward to refereeing such a game but player and spectator safety must come first and I was not about to take any risks on that score."

Both Falcons director of rugby John Fletcher and Wasps supremo Ian McGeechan now face a headache rescheduling the match given the RBS 6 Nations programme, Wasps' involvement in the EDF Energy Cup and Newcastle's in the European Challenge Cup.

The rearranged game is unlikely to be played on a weekend.

Fletcher said: "A decision has been made with the safety of people foremost.

"That's what's important. The post snapped and there was some damage to roof of the stand and the safety officer and referee basically didn't have any option.

"I don't think Mat Tait would have enjoyed it had a post come down and whacked him on the head.

"I have no idea when we will get the game played. There was not real chance of it being played over the weekend with all that entailed so we have no real idea when it will be played now.

"We have to see what happens to Wasps in the EDF Cup and to us in Europe and we will fit it in.

"I was there when the decision was made but I wasn't consulted because it's not my decision to make and that's fine. It was the decision of the safety officer and the referee and they both came to same decision."

Wasps already have two midweek games and McGeechan said: "We could now have three midweek games, which would be a challenge, but we will just have to deal with it.

"When you get a piece of the stand roof blowing off, you can't have the game going ahead because it would be dangerous for the spectators and the players and when the posts snapped, we knew there was a problem."