Harlequins cruised to a 31-12 win over Newcastle to ensure a home draw in the Guinness Premiership play-offs.
Explosive start from Londoners ensures comfortable win
Harlequins needed under half an hour to run in the four tries they needed to ensure a home draw in the Guinness Premiership play-offs as they cruised to a 31-12 win over Newcastle.
England back-rower Nick Easter helped himself to two scores in the first 17 minutes before hooker Tani Fuga and full-back Mike Brown wrapped up the bonus point 11 minutes ahead of the interval.
But Quins were not done there and added a fifth try through Ugo Moyne who celebrated his surprise British and Irish Lions call with a fine individual effort, while fly-half Waisea Luveniyali slotted three conversions.
Newcastle did produce two tries of their own through Geoff Parling (33) and Hall Charlton (76) but in truth the game had been beyond them for some time.
Quins attacking intentions were clear from the off and their bold game-plan paid dividends as early as the seventh minute when Danny Care - having passed up an easy penalty chance - broke quickly before feeding Easter who was driven over by his supporting forward colleagues.
Luveniyali landed the simple conversion and the lead was quickly stretched to 12 points when the Easter showed his power from close range once again after a period of sustained pressure on the Falcons line.
Luveniyali was unable to kick the extras, but did so after 21 minutes when Brown continued his impressive personal display with a slick run and pass that sent Fuga in at the left corner.
Deserved try
The full-back, overlooked by England this season following last summer's tour of New Zealand, then claimed the try his efforts had merited as he accepted a pass from Care before showing strength aplenty to get the better of Falcons counter-part Alex Tait to touch down next to the posts.
Newcastle responded with a try from more or less their first real attack, Parling - on as a 22nd minute replacement for injured number eight Adam Balding - crashed over after Tom May had been hauled down just short of the line.
It was a farewell try for Parling who will now join the Leicester Tigers over the summer.
But it was only temporary respite for the visitors as Moyne maintained his electric recent form with another sublime individual try.
The powerful winger sold a dummy to Tait before driving inside the full-back and racing clear and even found time to salute the crowd before diving over in the corner.
With the match in the bag Quins could afford to ease off a little in the second half and Newcastle to their credit showed rather more resolve than in the opening 40 minutes.
Indeed, having prevented the Londoners from adding to their total, they grabbed the only score of the second half when replacement scrum-half Hall Charlton touched down with just four minutes remaining.
