Flanker Wilson extends Falcons stay
Newcastle Falcons flanker Mark Wilson has handed the club a boost on the eve of the launch of the 2014/2015 Aviva Premiership season by signing an extension to his existing contract.
The 24 year old Cumbrian, who originally joined the club from Blaydon RFC in the summer of 2010, has become an integral part of the Falcons squad over the last four seasons with his trademark bullocking runs often at the heart of the team’s go forwards in matches.
Whilst making many valuable contributions throughout his Falcons career, one of the undoubted highlights was his finishing of a sublime team try against Tonga in a friendly at Kingston Park in November 2012 and supporters and officials alike will be hopeful of more of the same in the coming seasons.
Speaking about the new signing, Director of Rugby Dean Richards said “We’re obviously delighted that Mark committed his future to the club. He is a supremely talented player who always gives everything he has for the shirt and he is only going to get better.”
“At 24, he is only just starting to come into his prime and he will be a player that everyone associated with the club will continue to be excited about watching play.”
“He is essentially a local lad and is exactly the sort of player that this club can hang its future on in terms of his ability and his ties to the area.”
Wilson himself was also delighted to renew his Falcons tenure and revealed that it was a relatively straightforward decision to extend his stay.
“I’m really happy at the club and am excited to be part of a side that is building towards a solid future. I’ve really settled into the area since coming here for University and with my partner and I expecting our first child within the next month, it’s a great place to be putting down roots.”
With Wilson often catching the eye with his performances in recent matches, it is easy to imagine a number of clubs will have been keeping tabs on his availability but this something that had never entered into Wilson’s thoughts.
“If there was anyone out there interested, I didn’t know about it and to be honest, even if I had, I wouldn’t really have been interested in the offer. I genuinely love it in the North East and I think the Falcons is the club I need to be at to realise my own ambitions.”
