A total of nine Newcastle Falcons players will feature in this year’s Rugby World Cup tournament with Kingston Park based players lining up for six of the twenty teams taking part.
Tonga, Samoa, Italy, Argentina, Scotland and the USA all have Falcons players within their squads for the competition, equalling nine players in total.
Tonga captain Nili Latu is one of the Falcons newest signings, and will compete in the Rugby World Cup before arriving at Kingston Park Stadium for the start of the season. He is joined in the Ikale Tahi squad by scrum half Tane Takulua, who joined the club midway through the 2014/15 season and impressing during the Pacific Nations Cup.
Fellow Pacific nation Samoa also have two Falcons in their squad, with famed winger Alesana Tuilagi and lock forward Kane Thompson, while their opponents for their opening game of the competition, the USA include Falcons prop Eric Fry in their squad. A player who has been one of the stalwarts of the USA national side for a number of years.
Also in pool B alongside Samoa and USA are Scotland, a squad which includes Fry’s soon-to-be Falcons front row team mate Jon Welsh. The Scotsman agreed a move from Guinness Pro 12 champions Glasgow Warriors in the summer and will be looking to be involved in both of Scotland’s games in his new home city at St James’ Park.
Another Rugby World Cup team including not one but two Falcons players is Italy, with lock Josh Furno and new signing, Giovanbattista Venditti both part of the Azzurri’s 31 man squad.
Finally in Pool C of the tournament, inside centre Juan Pablo Socino continues the impressive upward trajectory of his career as part of a Los Pumas squad, having earned his call up following a strong 14/15 season in the Aviva Premiership with the Falcons and impressing in his first caps for his country in this Summer’s Rugby Championship competition.
Speaking about his team’s representation, Falcons Director of Rugby Dean Richards said: “There’s a degree of pride and satisfaction. The boys are out there representing their countries which is the be all and end all and its absolutely brilliant. It is also a huge opportunity for the younger boys here to stake a claim and it is a good time for the club.”