Portuguese centre ready for his second bite at professional rugby
Portugese centre Pedro Bettencourt is backing Newcastle Falcons’ squad depth to rise to the challenge when they host Exeter Chiefs in Sunday’s Premiership Rugby Cup opener at Kingston Park Stadium.
The 23-year-old made his competitive debut for the Falcons a fortnight ago when he came on from the bench during his side’s heroic Heineken Champions Cup victory in Toulon, and is ready to seize his chance if called upon this weekend.
“It has been quite a journey,” said the dual-format international who has been capped by Portugal at both 7s and 15s, joining the Falcons from Carcassonne this summer after spending two seasons in the Clermont academy.
“My dream was always to be a professional sportsman. My dad played rugby in the 1970s, my uncles and my cousins played, and it started to be on the TV more often with Portugal qualifying for the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France. I, like many other Portugese kids, got inspired by that, and you want to be like your heroes.”
Settling into life on Tyneside, the fluent English speaker said: “It felt out of this world when the move to Newcastle came about, given how well they’d gone last season. I’d been playing in the French Second Division so it was a big jump up in standard, but it has been great to be involved with the Falcons and to be having this experience.
“Pre-season was hard for a couple of reasons, firstly the fact I joined the club pretty late and then secondly because I picked up an injury near the end of pre-season.
“Obviously that’s not ideal and I’ve been trying to catch up a little, but I’m loving the experience of being here and getting used to English rugby, which is faster than the French game. In France I think a lot of the guys are bigger and the rugby can be more physical, but it’s a slower pace there. The guys here are fitter, and the rugby they try to play is pretty smart.”
Despite the Falcons’ league form not yet hitting the same heights as their Champions Cup exploits Bettencourt is confident of a Premiership rise, saying: “It was tough to see some of the results we were getting during those early rounds of the Premiership, but we were close in a lot of the games and we always had faith that our game plan was the right one.
“We were still putting up decent performances and creating opportunities even though the wins weren’t always coming, so in that sense it was no great surprise to us when results began to turn the right way. We didn’t panic, because we believe in the game plan.
“On the same token we’re not getting over-excited just because we’ve had a couple of victories in Europe. The margins are so fine at this level that one little slip in concentration can cost you a result, and it’s just about maintaining our focus and trusting what we’re doing.”
The midfield man is ready to play his part in what is expected to be a freshened-up line-up for Sunday’s visit of Exeter, with Newcastle’s table-topping A-Team providing a number of ready-made options for the coaching team of Mark Laycock and James Ponton.
“The Premiership Rugby Cup is a great competition because it allows some of the younger players or the squad guys to come in and show their skills at a higher level, and to prove they’re capable of stepping up,” said Bettencourt.
“The coaches need to know they can count on these players when the need arises during the season, and from the players’ side it’s a chance to get quality game time at a decent level. You just need to be ready for that opportunity.
“In terms of Sunday’s opposition, you can get a lot of inspiration by looking what Exeter have done over the past few years.
“They’ve won trophies, they play a good brand of rugby and we know it will be a test. It’ll be physical upfront, which is a given, and we’ll look to create attacking opportunities. We’re blessed with such amazing talent on the wings at this club, the role of the inside backs is basically to give them the ball in space and let them do their magic.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
1 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
19 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments