Red Bull to give Newcastle Falcons wings

Energy drinks giant Red Bull could be set to step in and offer Newcastle Falcons a much-needed financial lifeline by taking control of the financially stricken Premiership club.

It emerged last month that the Falcons have been talking to the other nine Premiership clubs and CVC Capital Partners about a loan of between £4 million and £5 million to meet the financial criteria to play next season.

The Falcons, who are nine points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership table after losing 13 of their 15 games this season, travel to North London tomorrow to face former Premiership and European champions Saracens.

They were put up for sale by owner Semore Kurdi over a year ago but haven’t been able to secure a buyer despite several interested parties coming forward — but that could be about to change.

Red Bull are owned by Austrian company Red Bull GmbH and, as the third most recognisable soft-drink brand in the world behind Coca-Cola and Pepsi, have had a long-term interest in moving into rugby.

The company has a massive sports portfolio ranging from extreme sports like cliff diving, BMX, skiing, flying and skateboarding to football and motor racing.

One of their clubs, RB Leipzig, is among the most disliked in Germany, where clubs are traditionally run without a rich investor. However, thanks to Red Bull, which pumped in millions, they won four promotions in seven years.

Red Bull would largely see the Falcons as a blank canvas with plenty of scope for development and growth, especially as they currently lack big-name players on large contracts due to a recruitment freeze brought on by their financial woes.

The Falcons, who last week announced that Callum Chick is the latest player to leave Kingston Park this summer, are spending millions of pounds less on wages than all of their rivals.

They would allow Falcons director of rugby Steve Diamond the freedom to do what he is good at — unearthing hidden gems and building a squad from the bottom up — as he did at Sale Sharks.