Vickers progressed through the club's academy while a student

Newcastle Falcons are awaiting news on the extent of the leg injury suffered by hooker Rob Vickers on Sunday.

The 28-year-old was withdrawn from the action with a suspected broken leg, one of three injuries picked up across the Falcons squad in Sunday's game.

Coach Alan Tait told BBC Newcastle: "We'll have to wait and see, he's going for X-rays.

"Tim Ryan pulled his hamstring and Charlie Amesbury fractured his cheekbone, we're counting numbers"

The loss of three key first XV players comes after lock James Hudson and centre Tane Tu'ipulotu both returned to the Falcons side in Sunday's victory.

Influential skipper Hudson had been out for the last two months with a hamstring problem, while Tu'ipulotu was making his first start of the campaign after a summer hip operation.

"James is outstanding in the line-out and he just holds us together," Tait added.

"It was a big ask for us when James was out, with the games we've lost closely, we think how things might have changed.

"When we get our full strength team out we won't fear anybody, it's just getting them all fit and questioning if we ever get them all out on the field.

"When quality players do come back into the side it does help."

Falcons remain 11th in the Premiership, but have extended the gap between them and bottom club Leeds Carnegie to seven points.

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