1
How Callum Chick has reacted to latest Newcastle contract offer
By Chris Jones
Newcastle have moved to head off bids for captain Callum Chick by making the England No8 a lucrative offer to keep him at Kingston Park following reports that Gloucester had identified him as a possible replacement for Zach Mercer, who is set to return to France.
Falcons have already lost England hooker Jamie Blamire to Leicester Tigers next season while Pumas lock Pedro Rubiolo, currently out with a long-term leg injury, has also agreed to join Bristol Bears.
The additional departure of 28-year-old captain Chick would be a massive body blow to Newcastle, who are looking for a new investors to take over from current owner Semore Kurdi.
The club have only spent £3.5million of the allowed £6.4m salary cap and they have been able to offer a financial package that Steve Diamond, the director of rugby, believes will keep Chick at the Falcons.
Chick played a key role in the successive Gallagher Premiership wins over Exeter and Saracens that ended a debilitating 25-game run of league defeats, moving the club off the bottom of the Premiership.
Diamond, who hopes new investors will allow him to sign a fresh group of international players next season, has 35 players out of contract that the end of this season and retaining Chick is his No1 priority.
He said: “Callum is happy with the offer and we have had a conversation. Hopefully, we will put the paperwork in place very soon and it’s very important to hold onto him and that is reflected in the offer that we made to him. We are discussing staying at the club with other players as well and it’s a busy time for me.
“Recruitment is important but retention is even more important. We have 35 players out of contract and I want to keep 28, and I’m confident of keeping them. I’m sure that Callum will have had other offers but he is a north-east lad and the club has rested on his shoulders for the last year or two.
“Hopefully, with the positive news about looking for new investors and the way the team is performing, and a lot of that is down to him, it is important we get that one over the line.”
Having lost to Pau in the European Challenge Cup last weekend, Newcastle will look to regain winning momentum at home to Dragons next Sunday before resuming their Premiership campaign.
“Dragons are a good side and we respect them with a good forward pack,” added Diamond. “We will have to be on the ball to continue our home run. We have Bath coming up in the Premiership and this is a chance for the guys to step up.”
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Israel Folau to make rugby return despite mid-week Lions disappointmen
3
Gregor Townsend: It’s the first time since 2000 that we’ve been to NZ
4
England hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie's club future appears done
5
Latest Comments
I was introduced to crypto investment by an investor I met on Telegram. I liked the program and decided to join the investment platform. At the beginning, I invested and made profits which I continued doing until the website disappeared. I could not withdraw any funds before the incident happened but luckily a friend of mine that works with FBI introduced me to ( WALLET CONNECT (AT) USA (.) C O M) WhatsApp +(1 (412) 225‑ 5918 ) and they came just in time and assisted me to recover all the money. They did a great job and they were very professional to work with. It's quite unbelievable but it happened. We got our money back through their system assistance.
Go to commentsYes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.
They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).
That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).
Go to comments