Newcastle Falcons will face Edinburgh in a pre-season friendly at Melrose RFC’s Greenyards ground on Friday August 25.
The 6pm kick-off sees the Falcons continuing their recent policy of playing the Guinness Pro 12 side – Callum Chick scoring Newcastle’s late winner in last season’s 26-21 triumph at Murrayfield.
Edinburgh, now under the charge of former Leicester Tigers director of rugby Richard Cockerill, boast a squad including former Falcon Fraser McKenzie, with their summer influx including Bath’s Kiwi centre Robbie Fruean and Olympic silver medallist Mark Bennett.
Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: “We always enjoy our pre-season games against Edinburgh and feel that we get a lot out of the fixture.
“Last season’s victory in a close contest up at Murrayfield really helped set the tone for our opening-night victory in the Aviva Premiership, and it will be fantastic to play this year’s game at one of the great traditional rugby venues in Melrose.
“With the match being in the Borders hopefully we can continue to take a good away following to the fixture, and it promises to be a really useful evening for both clubs.”
Melrose is situated just 66 miles north of Newcastle, with an estimated driving time of an hour and a half up the A68.
Tickets for the 6pm kick-off go on sale on Friday July 28 and are available online via 0131 346 5100 or www.edinburghrugby.org at £10.50 for adults and £5.25 for under-18s (including transaction fees).
The Falcons have fond memories of the Greenyards having won the oldest 7s tournament in the world there, the Melrose 7s, back in 2006. The squad that day included Mark Laycock, who is now first team skills coach and academy manager at the Kingston Park club. The Falcons also played a pre-season friendly there against then reigning Scottish champions Melrose RFC back in August 1996, prior to winning promotion into the Premiership.
Next month’s clash with Edinburgh completes Newcastle’s line-up of five pre-season fixtures, with the Aviva Premiership campaign starting at home to Worcester Warriors on Friday September 1. All three home pre-season games are included in the 2017-18 season ticket membership package. For more information call 0871 226 6060.
NEWCASTLE FALCONS’ PRE-SEASON FIXTURES
FRI JULY 28/SAT JULY 29: Singha Premiership Rugby 7s (Northampton, live on BT Sport)
SAT AUG 12: v Doncaster Knights (home, 2pm)
SAT AUG 12: v Nottingham (home, 4.30pm)
SAT AUG 19: v Rotherham Titans (home, 4.30pm)
FRI AUG 25: v Edinburgh (Melrose, 6pm)
SAT AUG 26: v Doncaster Knights (away, 2.30pm)