England back row Wilson becomes Newcastle captain
England back row Mark Wilson will captain Newcastle Falcons in the upcoming 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership season after the World Cup finalist returned from his loan spell at Sale Sharks. The 30-year-old has scored 41 tries in his 224 appearances for the Falcons since coming through the club’s academy and he now takes over the captaincy from last season’s co-captains George McGuigan and Michael Young.
Wilson said: “I’m massively honoured to take on the role. I’ve been with the Falcons since I was 14, so to get the chance to captain the club is a privilege. Although I’ll have the C next to my name it’s important to realise we have some unbelievable leaders within the team who have a lot of experience and have played more than 100 or 200 games for us. It’s definitely not a case of one man being captain and taking on the whole thing without any help.
“Will Welch captained the side for years and I’m excited to work alongside him again, plus guys like Micky Young and George McGuigan, who led the team so well last season. It’s really interesting speaking to all of them to get their feedback on how they found things, and we have got a fantastic senior leadership group with guys like Toby Flood also involved.”
Speaking about the change, Newcastle boss Dean Richards explained: “George and Micky did an absolutely outstanding job last season in leading us to promotion after an unbeaten campaign. They both remain extremely important parts of our leadership group and can be proud of how they handled the role.
“Along with our other senior players, they will be a great help to Mark as he takes on the captaincy for the new season and we are in the privileged position of having a wealth of leadership experience. I know how much this means to Mark and what a great job he will do.
Mark Wilson will captain Newcastle Falcons during the 2020-21 season. The Rugby World Cup finalist has scored 41 tries in his 224 appearances for the Falcons, and takes over the role from last season’s co-captains George McGuigan and Michael Young. https://t.co/eDIFAd4fWs pic.twitter.com/vrZTCM9MrD
— Newcastle Falcons (@FalconsRugby) September 22, 2020
“He has captained the team many times on an interim basis. He is a natural leader and someone who commands instant respect through his own actions. He has made the step up into international rugby on the back of sheer hard work over a consistent period of time, and it’s great to have him back.”
Back with the Falcons after a loan spell with Sale Sharks, Wilson, who has 19 England caps, said: “It was a great learning curve, although it obviously didn’t pan out how I would have wanted in terms of the amount I was able to play for them.
“I would have loved to have had the opportunity to put my best foot forward for them on more occasions, but that was outside of my control. It was still a great experience, I learned a few things from some top players there and worked in a different environment. Coming back to Newcastle, I can hopefully use that knowledge and look to help take the club forward.”
The early end to the Championship last season and the late start to the 2020/21 Premiership has meant an extended off-season for Newcastle, who will have waited eight months between games when they eventually kick off the Gallagher Premiership on the weekend of November 20-22.
“There’s a really good feeling around the place,” said Wilson, whose side will play pre-season friendlies against Ealing Trailfinders on November 7 and 13. “Everyone has turned up with a really good attitude for pre-season, the boys seem to have trained hard during the lockdown and they arrived back in unbelievable nick.
“I’ve also been really impressed with the quality of the young lads we’ve got coming through, and I’m just loving being back. People might debate whether it’s a good or bad thing that we’re not playing at the minute when the other Gallagher Premiership clubs are getting in a load of games, but I agree with what our new defence coach Nick Easter said in an interview I read with him recently.
“He was basically saying this is a great period for us to just learn loads from what’s going on around the league, like the new breakdown interpretations, and also get a good gauge of the opposition we’re going to face. We have got an extended period of time to put in a really good pre-season, and to create a style of play which enables us to compete strongly against every team.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
$950k for a Prop that isn’t fit enough to play 10 mins of rugby? Surely there is someone better to replace Big Mike with
2 Go to commentsFour Kiwis in that backline. A solid statement on the lack of invention, risk-taking and joy in the NH game; game of attrition and head- banging tedium. Longterm medical problems aplenty in the future!
1 Go to commentsGood article, I learnt quite a lot. A big sliding door moment was in the mid 00s when they rejected Steve Anderson's long term transformation and he wrote Ireland's strategy instead.
2 Go to commentsHi Dr Nick! I'm worried that I've started to enjoy watching England and have actually wanted them to win their last two games. What would you prescribe? On a more serious note, I've noticed that the standard of play in March is often better than early February. Do you think this is because of the weather or because the players have been together for longer?
10 Go to commentsMy question in all this brett is who is going to wear the consequences of these actions? Surely just getting the sack isn’t sufficient? A teenager working the till at woolies would probably get taken to court if they took $20 out of the till. You mean to tell me that someone can spend $2.6 million and get away with it? Where was it spent? What companies/people were the beneficiaries etc? How is it just being talked about as an ‘oopsie’ and we all just move on and not a matter of the court for gross negligence, fraud, take your pick…
18 Go to commentslove Manu too but England have relied on him coming back from injury for far too long and not sorted the position with someone else long term . It will be a blessing he has gone . Huge shame he was so injury prone . God speed Manu .
3 Go to commentsI agree with Ben Smith about Brett Cameron. The No. 6 position has to be a monster and a genuine lineout option, like Ollivon, Lawes (now Chessum), Du Toit, etc. The only player who fits that bill right now is Scott Barrett. A fit and fizzing Tuipolotu together with one of the young towers, Sam Darry or Josh Lord, would give Razor the freedom to play Barret at 6.
16 Go to commentsOutstanding article, Graham. Agree with all of it. And enjoy the style of writing too (particularly Grand Slap!).
2 Go to commentsI wouldn't pay a cent for that loafer. He just stands around, waiting for play to come his way. He won't make the Wallabies.
2 Go to commentsGood bit of te reo maori Nic. Or is that Niko or Nikora? On the theme of trees the Oaks v Totara. Game plan would be key. I have one but it would cost you.
10 Go to comments> Shaun Edwards’ You should not have to score 30 points to win a game, as exciting as it is. This statement was surprising to me. It is nonsensical .I guess it is a defence coach speaking. But head coach, defence and attacking coaches all work together. They are inseparable. You score more than the opposition to win. It only needs to be one score. You score whatever the game demands, whatever the opposition demand. You defend whatever it takes. The attack coach needs to be able to clock up 30pts if need be.
10 Go to commentsWho’d have thought, not having Farrell & Youngs kicking the ball at every possible opportunity and playing flat and allowing your centres to run and pass would pay off? No one could possibly have seen this coming. FML. It took a LONG time coming but at least that time has finally come. England need to find a backup to Lawrence. Freeman is the best candidate for me, I see no reason why he can't play 12. He's big, strong, fast and has great hands.
10 Go to commentsLove Manu but he's not the player he was and I imagine Bayonne have paid too much money for him.
3 Go to commentsNew Zealand have not beaten England since 2018 and even that was a pretty close shave.
1 Go to comments“a renewed focus on Scottish-qualified players” Scottish-qualified is another way of saying English. England has development more players for the Scotland national Rugby team in the last 4 years, than Scotland has.
2 Go to commentsThis sounds a lot like the old Welsh rugby proverb “Wales never lose. Other teams just score more points.”
5 Go to commentsFinally,at last, Borthwick has done what the whole of England have been crying out for. Ditch the kick chase and let the players have freedom to attack and run with the ball. It was great to see. Ford played really well and for the first time in ages was 5 yards closer to the gainline which then allowed a more attacking position . Pity it has taken 90 odd caps to do so. However, this has to continue and not be a false dawn . One issue. Marcus. With Ford having one really good game in 5 ,is he the answer long term . Smith puts bums on seats and is terrific to watch . How can you leave him out before he departs for France in disillusion . England are in danger of Simmons , Alex Goode , Cipriani , Mercer and now Smith being unable to get a selection ahead of “favourites” of the management regardless of form . Great to see England play so well .
2 Go to commentsCockerill was an abrasive player in the mould of a Georgian front rower who will have the respect of that pack. Looking forward to seeing what he can do with this exciting team, hopefully they can send a message to unions like Wales that money alone doesn't buy you wins.
2 Go to commentsI like the look of those July matches. Hopefully they'll get some good tests in November too.
2 Go to commentsThis is a poor article, essentially just trolling six nations teams
22 Go to comments