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Mateo Carreras back and ready for Friday night

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Tuesday 22 November 2022

Newcastle Falcons’ foreign legion are available for Friday’s Gallagher Premiership visit of Exeter Chiefs following their international exploits, with Argentina wing Mateo Carreras saying he can’t wait to get stuck in.

The winger set social media alight in his last appearance for the Falcons, when his 80-metre solo try at Northampton accrued more than a million views and landed him a second successive Famous Grouse Try of the Month award.

He followed that up by starting in Argentina’s historic one-point victory over England at Twickenham, and returns now for club duty after also playing for Los Pumas against Wales.

“I loved my time away with Argentina, it’s always a huge honour to play for your country but it’s also great to be back with the Falcons,” said Carreras, who is joined at Kingston Park by countrymen Matias Orlando and Matias Moroni as well as USA lock Greg Peterson.

“I don’t find it difficult at all to go from the Argentina squad to being back with Newcastle – I think it’s exciting.

“If I’m involved in the game on Friday I want to give back to the team, and show the learning and improvement from when I was away with Argentina. Hopefully that will help us to bring back the win, but I’ve enjoyed being back with the Falcons so far.”

Crossing for five tries in five games in Newcastle colours this season, Carreras’ last club outing saw his name up in lights thanks to THAT try at Northampton.

Not that the 23-year-old is letting the acclaim go to his head.

“I don’t like to pay too much attention to social media,” said the former Argentina 7s and Under-20s international.

“I like to put the focus inside me to improve my rugby rather than reading what people are saying about me, but obviously it’s nice when things go well and you help the team. I’m not bothered about any individual praise because it’s all about the team. If I can score more tries like that and help the team to win, then that’s all I’m thinking about – the win.”

With that try, and his previous length-of-the-field effort against Bristol, comes extra attention from opposition defences – not that Carreras finds it a problem.

“Hopefully, yeah,” he said, when asked if he expects to become a marked man.

“I want to be in the head of the other team, I want them to think I’m a key player and I like to play like that.

“The reason is because if extra defenders are on me or if the defence is set up to stop me, then there is space or a weakness somewhere else on the field, and it’s all part of the puzzle to work out where the space is and to get the ball there.

“If I have two guys on me then someone else is going to be unmarked, and I’ve done my job by helping to create that space. I’m not saying that teams are going to do that, but if they do, then we adapt and use it to our advantage.”

Hopeful that his time away with Argentina can have a positive impact on his club game, Carreras said: “It was really good being on tour with the Pumas.

“As well as being a huge honour and playing in some great occasions it’s also a good environment to be in, and you learn a lot just by being there. I feel like I’ve improved during that time, and now I’m ready to take that into my club game if I’m selected.

“It was amazing playing at a full Twickenham against England. It’s a great stadium, I enjoyed the game and we managed to achieve a great result. When I was back in Argentina guys used to talk about Twickenham as some kind of mystical stadium, so to be there playing for my country was just so special.

“It was the best win of my life to be part of the team which beat England at Twickenham, and I’ll always remember that day.

“We made a lot of mistakes against Wales the following week. We prepared with the stadium roof open and the rain coming down, then when we got there for the game the roof was closed. We couldn’t change our tactics well enough, we started to kick a lot and maybe we could have been smarter in changing our decisions in that moment.

“It’s good to make those mistakes now and get them out of the way because we have the World Cup next season, and this is all good learning as we prepare for that.”

Fully focused now on Friday’s home date with Exeter, he added: “We’ve had meetings about Exeter and done our analysis on them.

“They’re a really physical team and their rugby reflects that, but if we do our job I believe we have a very good team which is capable of winning the game.

“We know what we need to do, and the focus now is on doing it.”

Click here to buy tickets for Friday’s 7.45pm kick-off.

Source – Newcastle Falcons Rugby


Premiership

SHARKS TO SIGN FIJI SKIPPER NAYACALEVU

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Sale Sharks have agreed a deal to sign Fiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu from French Top14 side Toulon. 

The explosive centre, who starred for his country during the recent World Cup, has signed a one-year contract with an option for a further year. 

He will join up with Alex Sanderson’s Sharks squad ahead of the start of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership season. 

Waisea, 33, said: “I’ve watched the Premiership for a long time and it’s always been in the back of my mind that I would love to play there one day and experience rugby in England. 

“Now that opportunity has arrived and I’m really, really happy and grateful. I’m so excited to get over there and join the boys and see how I can contribute to the team. 

“I have spoken to Telusa Veainu and he only has positive things to say about the club and about Manchester. 

“I’m looking forward to playing with some of the guys I’ve played against, like Tom Curry and George Ford. But I also know there are a lot of really talented young players in the Sale Sharks squad and I’m excited to share my experience and help them develop as much as I can.  

“I told Alex that it’s what I’ve been doing for the last few years of my career and it’s something I’m passionate about.” 

Nayacalevu, who stands at 6’4” and weighs in at 16st 7lb, spent ten years at Top14 side Stade Français before making the switch to Toulon in 2022.  

He has won 34 caps for Fiji, slotting in at both centre and on the wing, and captained his country at last year’s World Cup, where the Pacific Islanders made the quarter-finals, losing 30-24 to England in Marseille. 

He also famously scored for Fiji in their memorable pre-World Cup win against England at Twickenham. 

Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby


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Premiership

Falcons star to join Saracens

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Phil Brantingham to join Saracens

Tuesday 05 March 2024 Written by: Tom Grisedale

Prop-forward Phil Brantingham will leave Newcastle Falcons in the summer to join Saracens.

The 22-year-old has played 25 games for his home town club, and leaves with the thanks and best wishes of everyone at the Falcons.

Chairman of rugby Matt Thompson said: “Phil has done well for us and we made him a good offer to stay here.

“We respect his decision and wish him all the best for his move in the summer, but between now and then he will be fully committed to finishing the season strongly for Newcastle Falcons.”

Source – Newcastle Falcons Rugby


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Premiership

WIESE SET TO RETURN TO SA

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Sale Sharks can confirm that forward Cobus Wiese will leave the club at the end of the season to return to South Africa. 

The 26-year-old lock has played almost 80 games for the club and scored five tries since joining from the DHL Stormers ahead of the 2020/21 season. 

He played a key role last year as Sale reached the Premiership final, and this season he has featured a further 13 times for Alex Sanderson’s side. 

Alex said: “Cobus will be missed by all of us on so many levels. He’s the most polite and courteous of people off the field, but the most wildly excitable man on the field, and on a night out. 

“To say Cobus wears his heart on his sleeve is to do him a disservice with regards to his emotional commitment for which his body has paid the price on occasion.  

“He leads by example and has earnt the respect and adoration of the group both on a professional and a personal level. We wish him every success and happiness with his move back home.” 

Everyone at Sale Sharks would like to thank Cobus for his contribution to the club and the team during his time here and we wish him all the very best for the future.  

Images & Content from Sale Sharks Rugby


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