'Do I have to say I like the surface because I play on it?'
Mike Brown was full of devilment this week at his first media assignment as a Newcastle player, especially when it was the turn of RugbyPass to ask some questions. What is it like working again with Dean Richards? “I never see him, he is always out fishing. If you do see him let me know.”
Has what Richards told Brown about life in the north of England before he signed stood up to scrutiny? “No, he told me it was 30-degree heat all year round…”
What is it like doing some media work, especially writing player ratings where a low number can infuriate guys he might have to play against? “I don’t have many friends so it doesn’t really matter if they don’t like it. I’m joking, I do have some friends I think.”
We’ll focus first, though, on an issue made topical this week by World Rugby. Amid concerns over abrasions on artificial surfaces, the game’s governing body gave the go-ahead for players to wear tights or leggings as a preventative measure. Given that the ground at Newcastle has a synthetic surface, has Brown anything to report from the Falcons’ inner sanctum?
“Can you imagine the northern guys here wearing leggings! It’s not been spoken about. You can’t be wearing leggings. Surely not? Maybe I am too old school. I’m not going to be wearing leggings and I can’t imagine a lot of other lads will be… Maybe Radders [Adam Radwan] will be wearing some.”
"His first flight as a Falcon, and his first score!"
Mike Brown is up and running for @FalconsRugby 🙌
Instant impact on his debut!#GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/hcgiMQwagL
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) October 9, 2021
Seriously, though, having forged a stellar career on supreme grass surfaces at rugby cathedrals such as The Stoop and Twickenham, it must be a leap for the 36-year-old to suddenly adjust to training and playing on the Kingston Park synthetic surface? Cue hesitation, Brown leaning back in his chair, turning his head to the side and asking an adjacent Newcastle media handler: “Do I have to say I like the surface because I play on it?
“Look, if I am honest I don’t really like the surface but it is what it is. Clubs have it for certain reasons which you can understand, maintenance of the pitch, the community side, all of those things which I get and it is what it is, so you have to adapt. The good thing here is we train on this pitch all week and for me being the age I am and the knee surgery that I had a couple of years ago means that if I try to change between surfaces then that would be a problem.
“But because we are on here the whole time all week and we don’t change the surfaces, I have been absolutely fine. It does take a little more out of your body but, as I said, it is what it is. You have to adapt, don’t you? I have yet to play on a normal pitch since I got banned (at Harlequins), so it is a long time and I am quite looking forward to going on a normal pitch. But I am just looking forward to running out at KP this weekend because I have not done it yet in the black jersey, so I am desperate to do that.”
It was early April, following months of speculation that he was bound for Newcastle, when it was confirmed that Brown would indeed be leaving Harlequins, the club he first played for in the Premiership in October 2006. The parting sucked. He said so at the time, criticising the Londoners for the way his long stay there was terminated by an apparently brief discussion.
Then came his red card shocker the following month which resulted in the suspension that meant he was left watching from the stands when Harlequins won their second-ever Premiership title. It’s all past tense now, however. “Sport moves on quick, life moves on quick. It happens. There are worse things happening in life than what happened to me.
“At that moment in time it was devastating but as you sit back and take yourself out of it you put it to the back of your mind and see it for what it is and lucky I had this new challenge to look forward to and look ahead to and get my head around. It was just focusing on that and the moving, everything that goes with that once that ban happened. It was devastating at the time but life goes on.”
It sure has. Brown is chuffed with his newfound freedom in Newcastle. He doesn’t say the northeast is better than what he knew living in London, just that it is reassuringly different and he is embracing all that this brings. “It is very different to my old club, quite different living up here than in London. I don’t know if it is better or anything like that, it’s just been good to have a change. Enjoying the change, enjoying the new environment, new players, new characters, different styles of play. It has been good.
“There is definitely not as much traffic. Everything seems to be ten minutes away so getting loads more done in the day and the family enjoy it. Ten minutes and you are on the coast, ten minutes you are in town or in the country as well, so I’m enjoying it.”
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The first day at Newcastle, though, was understandably weird for Brown. “It was a bit like the first day back at school, not really sure where I was supposed to go, not really sure what I was supposed to be doing, not knowing everyone’s name, trying to learn 50 names and then you get calls and schedules chucked at you, different ways of doing things, trying to find your way around the stadium, what rooms are what, things like that, learning stuff, staff names. I guess the best way to describe it was the first day at school. It was interesting.
“I was lucky that a couple of ex-Quins lads had joined as well, George Merrick, Nathan Earle. You gravitate towards them first and I knew Mark Wilson from England. You gravitate towards those guys and slowly work out from there the group you are going to be in, people’s names and all that sort of thing and do your best from there.”
That initial awkwardness aside, the ex-England full-back has been putting his treasure trove over rugby experience to good use. “One of the things I wanted to do moving clubs was to contribute way more off the field. When you are at one place for a large amount of time you are just seen as that guy who has come through the academy, seen a certain way.
“I don’t think people take into account as much the growth you have made as a person, as a player, things like that. So coming into an environment where no one really knows exactly what you are like I was just really keen to be a leader as much as possible, use my experience, contribute as much as I could off the field and I have done that.
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“You’ll have to ask the players, ask the coaches if I have done that but that is what I have tried to do, lead meetings way more than I did before, speak way more than I did before, really embrace that side. It’s something I want to work on for when I transition out of the game in a few years into certain roles. That is something I wanted to work on, leadership and things like that and speaking to people in different ways and using different methods.”
While the arrival of Brown at Newcastle generated its fair share of headlines, a fair few more have been instigated by the burgeoning talent that is Adam Radwan, the winger who scored a hat-trick on his England debut last July. “He’s an interesting character, kind of like Jonny May. These fast wingers seem to have very different characters from other people.
“He’s a top guy. He takes every bit of advice and assistance that he can take on board from all players. He’s a hell of an athlete so all I have to do is catch the ball and give it to him and let him do his magic. He is a special talent and has got way more in him in terms of potential. If he keeps his head down and keeps producing, keeps working hard at his game, I can see him being a superstar on the wing. I’ve no doubt about that.”
Who would Brown fancy in a Radwan versus May sprint? “Adam is the fastest but the most random would still be Jonny May. I don’t think anyone in my life will ever beat Jonny May in terms of things I have seen him do.”
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We’ll finish up back where we started with Brown, the revived Richards link, the Newcastle vision that his old Harlequins coach sold him, and breaking into the media while still a player rather than someone who has stepped away from the game and has a bit of distance from those he is running his critical eye over.
“Dean has actually probably softened a little if I am honest. Hopefully, he doesn’t hear that and then changes but he has softened a little bit since I was a 20-year-old, young academy kid who used to dive out of corridors into whichever room was open and try to get out of the way of big Dean Richards. He has softened a little bit but the job he is doing here with what he has got to work with is incredible. It’s great to be back with him, work with him and learn from him as well. He is good.
“How he put it to me was players with loads of potential. Newcastle haven’t got the all-singing, all-dancing facilities that some people do and they have the long bus trips that other people don’t have to do, they have the brutal winters to deal with and all of that sort of thing, but you can use those things as a strength.
“The surrounding areas are beautiful, the villages, and there is so much to do with family which is what he said. You have got the countryside, you have got the city, the coast as well. So it is as exactly as he said and it has delivered so far. But like I said, not looking forward to the winter.”
The final word goes to Brown’s fledgling media work. “Look, with my column and ratings, I just try to be as honest as possible. I don’t slam players I don’t think. I try to have a reason for what I am saying if I don’t think they have played as well as they could or if they have played well I have to have a reason for what I have chosen. I am sure some players don’t like it but it is what it is, pays the bills doesn’t it. It’s fine. If they don’t like me because of that then… it is what it is.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to comments