Newcastle will aim to revive a faltering European Challenge Cup campaign on Sunday following the most difficult week of their season.

Within 72 hours of seeing an unbeaten Pool Three record collapse against Connacht in Galway, Falcons and their highly-rated fitness coach Steve Black parted company.

Black's departure then sparked raging speculation as to whether or not Jonny Wilkinson would remain a Newcastle player beyond next summer.

England fly-half Wilkinson has a close friendship with Black, and his current Falcons contact expires at the end of this season.

Newcastle rugby director John Fletcher, meanwhile, was even quizzed about his own Kingston Park future at the club's weekly press conference after three successive defeats in all competitions.

Against that back-drop, Fletcher has prepared his players for Sunday's return appointment with Connacht, a game Falcons must win to avoid falling behind the Irish challengers and group favourites Brive.

Fletcher said: "I am under no more pressure than that which I put on myself every single day.

"What we do is turn up every day, work hard, try to prepare a team and then that team goes out and tries to win games.

"Nobody is over-reacting or under-reacting to the situation.

"We lost twice away at the European champions (Wasps), and we were beaten late in a tight game away from home last week, but we are still top of the group with a home game to come.

"Let's see where we are after Sunday's game, and what will be will be."

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