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Article: Bates aiming to freshen up the Falcons; Restocking the Kingston Park cupboard is the order of Steve Bates' close season, and the Falcons rugby director told Nick Purewal the shelves will be full of useful talent, whatever the outside impression.
- Article from:
- The Journal (Newcastle, England)
- Article date:
- April 24, 2009
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FOR Steve Bates, perception is nine-tenths of the law.
Composing a squad he hopes capable of a top-half Guinness Premiership finish next term, Falcons boss Bates is unperturbed by the wider world's rating of the players he has, and is yet, to bring to Kingston Park.
Citing strong first-hand evidence to support his claims, the former Wasps No 9 attests that quality and ability are not always intertwined.
Some stood aloof with upturned noses when Bates brought former Leicester and Gloucester No 8 Adam Balding to Kingston Park last summer, worried the ...