Newcastle Falcons confirm departing players

Newcastle Falcons have confirmed their departing players ahead of the 2022-23 season.

All 16 players leave with the thanks and best wishes of the club as preparations begin for the coming campaign.

Head coach Dave Walder said: “It is the time of year where players move on and things take shape for the season ahead, and it is only right that we recognise the contribution of the guys who will be leaving us.

“We thank them and wish them well for whatever they go on to do, and we hope they will all take positive experiences with them from their time at Newcastle Falcons.”

JOSH BASHAM: The back-rower made 20 appearances for the Falcons, having joined during his studies at Durham University. Josh will return to his former club, London Irish.

MIKE BROWN: A two-time Premiership title-winning full-back with Harlequins, Mike’s single season with the Falcons saw him making 16 appearances, scoring two tries.

LUTHER BURRELL: The former England international centre returned to rugby union with the Falcons two seasons ago after a spell in rugby league, going on to make 28 appearances in a Newcastle shirt.

OSCAR CAUDLE: Local prop Oscar spent three seasons in the senior academy after joining from his home town club, Tynedale.

KYLE COOPER: South African Kyle joined the Falcons originally as a hooker in the summer of 2016, and was part of the squad which reached the Premiership semi-finals in 2018. Switching to loose-head prop, he made a total of 86 appearances, scoring 12 tries.

ROB FARRAR: A graduate of the Falcons’ senior academy who came through Sedbergh School, the former England Under-20s lock moves to Ealing Trailfinders are making 15 first-team appearances for the Falcons.

MARCO FUSER: The lock-forward spent two seasons on Tyneside after joining from Benetton, making 20 appearances and earning a recall to the Italian national squad.

WILL HAYDON-WOOD: An academy graduate who represented England throughout the age groups, the former Sedbergh pupil made 22 first-team appearances for the Falcons, scoring one try. He will now go on to join Wasps.

JOEL HODGSON: Newcastle native Joel has enjoyed two spells with his home town team, during which the fly-half has played 164 games and scored an impressive 574 points, including 15 tries.

OLLIE LINDSAY-HAGUE: The England and Great Britain Sevens international joined the Falcons last summer on an initial short-term loan deal, but spent the duration of the campaign on Tyneside, making two appearances and scoring one try.

WILL MONTGOMERY: Cumbrian lock Will is a graduate of the Falcons’ academy who joins Ealing Trailfinders, having scored two tries in his 16 senior outings for Newcastle.

MORGAN PASSMAN: Senior academy winger Morgan made his one senior appearance for the Falcons during the 2020-21 season at Leicester Tigers, having been a try-scoring sensation with Darlington Mowden Park in National One.

LOUIS SCHREUDER: The former South Africa scrum-half enjoyed two seasons with the Falcons, during which he scored three tries in 39 games. He heads down to fellow Gallagher Premiership club, Bath.

ROBBIE SMITH: The industrious Scottish hooker arrived from Bedford Blues two years ago, and has made nine first-team appearances, scoring three tries. He makes the summer move to Northampton Saints.

MATTHEW WARD: England Under-20s winger Matty is a Co. Durham native who overcame a serious leg injury during his time in the Falcons senior academy, showing great character to battle back to full fitness.

MAX WRIGHT: The centre was a loan signing from Bath who spent almost a full season with the Falcons, for whom he scored twice in his 10 first-team outings. He re-joins his parent club Bath for the 2022-23 campaign.

Newcastle Falcons have so far made six senior signings for next season in Leicester’s Argentina centre Matias Moroni, Ospreys fly-half Josh Thomas, Bath fly-half Tian Schoeman, Coventry scrum-half Josh Barton, Doncaster lock Josh Peters and Austin Gilgronis lock Sebastian de Chaves.

The Falcons also welcome six homegrown players into their senior academy squad in the form of wing Nathan Greenwood, centre Jeremy Civil, lock Luke Coulston, scrum-half Ben Douglas, prop Mike Rewcastle and hooker Charlie Smith.

Fixtures for the new Gallagher Premiership season will be announced on Tuesday July 19 at 11am, with the draw for the EPCR Challenge Cup taking place on Tuesday June 28 at 12 noon.