Newcastle sign experienced Orlando ahead of their Premiership return
Newcastle Falcons have announced the signing of Argentina centre Matias Orlando, a proven international at the peak of his powers. Capped 44 times, the 28-year-old last year helping Jaguares to the Super Rugby final before representing Los Pumas at the World Cup in Japan.
With Newcastle building a squad for their return to the Gallagher Premiership following an unbeaten 2019/20 campaign, Orlando will arrive in the first week of December on an 18-month deal.
Director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Matias has consistently shone at both international and Super Rugby levels for a number of years now. He possesses a huge amount of quality both in terms of his skillset and work ethic, and it’s a massive boost for us to be able to attract a player of his standing in the world game.”
Born in Tucuman and starting his junior rugby with the Hiuirapuca club, Orlando played for Argentina’s Pampas XV in South Africa’s Vodacom Cup competition before making his full international debut in 2012, going on to establish himself as a Test regular.
Standing at 6ft and weighing 95kgs (14 stone 10), he has spent the past four seasons in Super Rugby with the Buenos-Aires-based Jaguares, scoring twice in last year’s semi-final victory over the Brumbies as they secured safe passage to their first-ever final.
?? SIGNING!
A proven international at the peak of his powers – Newcastle Falcons are delighted to announce the signing of Argentina centre Matías Orlando https://t.co/11ifOmnUlh pic.twitter.com/wqRGFjCZly
— Newcastle Falcons (@FalconsRugby) July 16, 2020
The midfielder scored 15 tries in total in his 59 Super Rugby appearances, adding to his five international tries. Richards added: “He certainly knows his way to the line. He reads the game well, has a step on him and brings other people into play, so it’s a tremendously exciting signing. I’m sure our supporters will really appreciate and enjoy what Matias brings to the table.”
Newcastle’s return to the top flight was confirmed in April, with the club sitting 18 points clear at the top of the Championship when the season was prematurely ended by the coronavirus pandemic.
The Falcons won all 22 of their matches last season across all competitions and will compete in the Gallagher Premiership when the 2020/21 season gets underway towards the end of the year.
That makes it 1??3?? players after two rounds of testing https://t.co/oiNHnwjt76
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 15, 2020
Comments
Join free and tell us what you really think!
Join Free
Latest Comments
Ultimately it is the entire NZR board who should be sacked. Foster wants to be the ABs coach, you can't blame him for that. NZR appointed him in what was a terrible process for actually finding the right candidate, more of a coronation based on the false assumption of "continuity" - it was clear from the BIL tour in 2017 which direction the ABs were heading, continuing that seemed crazy by they decided to do it anyway. They then reappointed him before he had faced a true test before the NH tour of 2021 which was a disaster. They could have sacked him then. They could have sacked him after the Ireland series where it was clear the ABs were well of the pace. They could have done it after the tests in SA which despite being 1-1 were not in the least bit convincing. Basically they have backed the guy every year, but now in the lead up to the world cup they have decided he's definitely not the right guy, yet he remains the coach.
Go to comments"taking the land they felt had been stolen from them during the colonial era" the land had been stolen, and the requisitions were entirely justified. I'm very sorry that Negri's family were hurt but this article is basically just propaganda for apartheid.
Go to comments