Six foot seven, 120kg English qualified lock signs for Falcons
Newcastle Falcons have announced the arrival of London Irish lock Sebastian de Chaves on a one-year deal.
The English-qualified 28-year-old has spent the past three seasons with London Irish, during which time he has helped them to two Greene King IPA Championship titles.
Born in Johannesburg and playing for South Africa Under-20s, the 6 foot 7, 120kg forward began his professional career with the Golden Lions before spending a season with French club Mont de Marsan.
Moving to Leicester Tigers in 2013, De Chaves spent three seasons with the Welford Road outfit before heading to London Irish, winning Players’ Player of the Season in his first year at the Madejski Stadium.
Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Sebastian gives us a big physical presence in the second row and is a welcome addition to our squad.
“He was a Championship title winner last season, he has plenty of experience of English rugby and he joins us in the week that our pre-season preparations got underway.”
De Chaves said: “I have experience of winning the Championship in the two years that I’ve played in the competition, and I think Newcastle are in for an exciting season.
“It’s obviously disappointing for the club to drop down a division but it’s a chance for the team to re-set a little, and it’s a different type of pressure.
SIGNING: Newcastle Falcons have announced the arrival of London Irish lock @sebdechaves on a one-year deal https://t.co/al9Dm2m8yH pic.twitter.com/g6oqNE0r6J
— Newcastle Falcons (@FalconsRugby) July 3, 2019
“Everyone expects you to win every game, it’s often hard to analyse the opposition and for every team you play against it’s their cup final.
“It’s that constant week in and week out grind of having to be completely on your game, but it’s a great challenge to overcome and I think Newcastle are very well-placed to do that.”
Asked what he hopes to add to the Falcons’ squad, De Chaves said: “I’m someone who likes to run the line-out or to have some say in how it works, and the line-out is a big part of my game.
“Other than that it’s basically just trying to get through a lot of work, doing whatever the team needs me to do and giving it everything.”
Keen to get started in his new surroundings, he added: “I’ve played up at Newcastle a couple of times during my spells with Leicester and London Irish – it’s a great stadium up there and I know first hand how tough it is for opposition teams to go and win at Kingston Park.
“It has that fortress-like feel, and it’ll just be nice to be on the other side of that having experienced it as an away player.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Completely 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
3 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
54 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
54 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
54 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
54 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to comments