Newcastle make short-term signing just days before season start

Newcastle Falcons have signed former England U20 international Ethan Grayson on a short-term deal until the end of 2024.

The former Northampton Saints flyhalf/centre, 22, spent the first half of the year in the United States with the San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby, and will return stateside at the end of the calendar year in preparation for the 2025 MLR season.

Grayson, son of former England and Northampton flyhalf Paul, made five appearances for the Saints, having come through their academy, before leaving in the summer of 2023. He enjoyed a short stint with the Bedford Blues in the Championship, who he was previously dual registered with, before moving to the MLR.

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The signing comes just days before the Falcons get their Gallagher Premiership season underway against Bristol Bears on Friday at Kingston Park.

The versatile back will link up with his former England U20 coach Alan Dickens in the northeast, who joined Steve Diamond’s coaching staff this summer.

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“I’m in between seasons with San Diego and the timing has worked out well, so I’ll be here until the new year and am really looking forward to it,” Grayson said.

“We got to the quarter-finals of Major League Rugby which finished in August and starts again in January, and during the interim I’ll be here in Newcastle trying to make a positive contribution.

“I’m buzzing to be back in a Premiership environment, to be working with Alan Dickens again and buying into the vision that Dimes has for the club.

“I’d like to think I’m a distributor who can play across 10, 12 and 13, and bring a bit of a kicking game. I can run a short ball to the line as well with that element of physicality, and hopefully I can offer some variety.”

Diamond added: “Ethan is in between contracts with heading back to America in the new year, so it’s a window of opportunity for us to bring in a good young player for a few months.

“Our senior coach Alan Dickens knows him from their time together at Northampton Saints and England Under-20s, and he can do a job for us.

“We’ve spoken on a number of occasions about running a smaller squad this season, and one thing that does do is give us the ability to act quickly when players become available and we have a spot for them to come in.”