Twenty stone Ireland international signs for Newcastle Falcons

Ulster prop Rodney Ah You has added his vast experience to Newcastle Falcons’ propping ranks, joining the club with immediate effect.

The former Ireland international who turned 30 last month has 126 Pro 14 appearances to his name, and a further 31 in Europe.

Newcastle Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Rodney has been a proven performer at a high level for a number of years now and he will definitely add to what we already have here.

“He fits in with the way we want to play the game, he offers a ball-carrying threat as well as the nuts and bolts of his set-piece game and I’m delighted to be able to bring him over here.”

Born in New Zealand, Ah You made his professional breakthrough as a teenager with Canterbury and appeared for New Zealand Under-20s, heading to Irish province Connacht in 2010.

Spending six seasons in Galway and moving provinces to Ulster just over two seasons ago, Ah You has three Ireland caps to his name after playing against Argentina, South Africa and Georgia in 2014.

Having completed his move to Newcastle, he said: “I’m pretty stoked that Dean Richards came after me.

“I’ve played at Newcastle a couple of times with Connacht, I’ve been watching them get a couple of really good wins recently in the Heineken Champions Cup and there are a lot of good things going on around the place.”

Asked what he hopes to add to the Falcons’ squad, Ah You said: “Scrummaging for any prop is the number one thing, and then ball-carrying around the field is something I enjoy.

“I can play on both sides of the front row if needed. Tight-head is where I have been playing mainly but I can jump over if the coaches need me to, and I just can’t wait to get started here.”