Brookes bolsters Falcon’s pack

Posted on Mar 6, 2013 in Newcastle Falcons

Newcastle Falcons are pleased to announce the signing of Kieran Brookes from Leicester Tigers on a dual registration contract until the end of the season.

The 22-year-old prop returns to Newcastle for his second spell at the club and is in line to figure against Bedford Blues in the RFU Championship this Friday (kick-off 8pm).

Graduating from the Falcons’ Academy, Brookes made the switch to Leicester ahead of the 2011-12 season after making 40 appearances for the North East outfit.

Capped by Ireland at Under-19 and Under-20 level as well as playing for England Under-20s in the 2010 Six Nations, the Stoke-on-Trent-born front-rower adds undoubted steel to the Falcons pack.

“I am really pleased to be back in Newcastle and I am looking forward to playing regular first team rugby again,” said Brookes, who featured for England Saxons against Scotland A last month.

He added: “From first impressions I can see that there has been a lot of positive change taking place at the club since I was last here.

“There is a new coaching set-up, new medical suite and new personnel at the top which really bodes well for the future of the club.”

Now the former Fylde RFC junior is itching to showcase his talents at Kingston Park in front of a passionate North East and Cumbria fan base.

“It will be great to get back out there in front of the Newcastle fans again, and it is an awesome feeling to walk out onto Kingston Park,” added Brookes.

Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Kieran is a good acquisition for the club, and he brings strong go-forward to the pack as we prepare for the end of season play-offs.”

Matt Mullan to join London Wasps

Posted on Jan 29, 2013 in London Wasps

London Wasps will welcome prop Matt Mullan to the Club next season, with the front-row player having agreed terms to join from Worcester Warriors.

The 25-year old is currently part of the England Saxons squad and is widely regarded as one of the top young props in the country.

Capped by England at full international level in 2010, Mullan’s progress at international level was slowed through injury, however last summer he kick-started his international career again strongly, touring with the senior England squad to South Africa and starting both midweek matches that produced two fine victories.

More recently, he earned himself a call-up into the England EPS squad as an injury replacement during the Autumn International series and he came off the bench for the England Saxons last weekend.

Mullan said: “I have had a great eight years at Worcester and leaving your home town Club is always hard. However I felt the time was right for a new challenge and I am looking forward to joining up with London Wasps next season. As a Club with lots of other aspiring young English players, I hope to be part of a successful side there in the coming years.”

London Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “Matt’s achieved plenty in his career to date but I believe there is a lot more to come from him. He will add to our growing base of young English talent at London Wasps and we’re pleased he will be with us from next season.”

Swainston added to England Saxons squad

Posted on Jan 29, 2013 in England Saxons

LONDON WASPS prop Phil Swainston is to join the England Saxons squad training to face Scotland A at Newcastle on Friday night (8pm).

He replaces Shaun Knight (Gloucester Rugby), who has returned to Kingsholm to have his sore left knee is assessed by the club’s medical team.

Swainston, 23, has made 13 first team appearances for Wasps after joining the club from Leeds Carnegie last summer.

Depth added to London Wasps squad with fresh arrivals

Posted on Jan 25, 2013 in London Wasps

London Wasps have welcomed new arrivals scrum-half Stuart Commins and centre Charlie Hayter to their squad this week to add some depth in depleted positions for the remainder of the season.

Commins brings with him Aviva Premiership experience from Northampton, having previously made 17 appearances for the Saints, and he was also part of the Oxford side who won the Varsity game at Twickenham earlier this season.

He joins as Joe Simpson departs for two weeks with the England Saxons, and will come into the mix for selection this weekend for the LV=Cup game against Leicester at Welford Road.

Promising centre Charlie Hayter joins the Club from RFU Championship side Moseley, where he has been an ever-present this season and was a standout performer for the RFU Championship XV against the New Zealand Maori. He has previously represented Worcester.

London Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “These are two positions in which we needed to add depth. We’re losing two centres – Andrea Masi and Elliot Daly – to international duty in the coming weeks and with a long-term injury to Lee Thomas, adding another centre to the squad was important. Charlie has been very good at Championship level so we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do. With Joe Simpson with the England Saxons for a few weeks combined with the fact that we haven’t replaced Nic Berry, who retired earlier in the season, we also needed another scrum-half and Stuart has good experience and has fitted in well so far.”

England Saxons name side to face O2 Ireland Wolfhounds

Posted on Jan 25, 2013 in England Saxons

Five players make their debuts for England Saxons against the O2 Ireland Wolfhounds at Galway on Friday night (7.35pm).

Elliot Daly (London Wasps), Joel Tomkins (Saracens) and George Ford (Leicester Tigers) are in the back line of a young Saxons outfit while Saracens pair George Kruis and Will Fraser start in the back row at The Sportsground.

The replacements are also set to make their first appearances at this level are former England Under 20 forwards Rob Buchanan (Harlequins) and Shaun Knight (Gloucester Rugby), and ex-Rugby League international Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby).

Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers) will captain the side after helping steer his club into the quarter finals of the Heineken Cup last weekend.

Crane is one of six full internationals in the team along with Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors), Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints), Joe Simpson (London Wasps), Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins) and Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens).

Head Coach Jon Callard said: “This is a dynamic young side with an average age of less than 24 and the players have a chance to show that they can play a major part of the future of England Rugby over the coming years. The blend of forward power and pace in the back line makes it an exciting one to be involved with.

“We’re facing an experienced Irish side in this opening game and the challenge is to step up and deliver a high quality performance in front of a passionate crowd in Galway.”

After facing the Wolfhounds away from home the Saxons return to England to take on Scotland A at Newcastle on Friday, February 1 (8pm).

England Saxons
15 Elliot Daly (London Wasps)
14 Christian Wade (London Wasps)
13 Joel Tomkins (Saracens)
12 Jordan Turner-Hall (Harlequins)
11 Tom Biggs (Bath Rugby)
10 George Ford (Leicester Tigers)
9 Richard Wigglesworth (Saracens)
1 Nick Wood (Gloucester Rugby)
2 Joe Gray (Harlequins)
3 Paul Doran-Jones (Northampton Saints)
4 Graham Kitchener (Leicester Tigers)
5 George Robson (Harlequins)
6 George Kruis (Saracens)
7 Will Fraser (Saracens)
8 Jordan Crane (Leicester Tigers, captain)

Replacements:
16 Rob Buchanan (Harlequins)
17 Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
18 Shaun Knight (Gloucester Rugby)
19 Ed Slater (Leicester Tigers)
20 Jamie Gibson (London Irish)
21 Joe Simpson (London Wasps)
22 George Lowe (Harlequins)
23 Kyle Eastmond (Bath Rugby)