'I was a Falcons fan growing up, they are my club,' enthuses Callum Chick after handshake with Dean Richards

Homegrown back row Callum Chick is the latest Newcastle Falcons player to sign newly-extended terms with the club.

The 22-year-old was a Junior World Championship winner with England Under-20s in 2016, coming through the ranks at Ponteland RFC before moving onto the Falcons’ scheme at Gosforth academy.

Following in the footsteps of his father Brian, who played for the club under their previous name of Gosforth, this season saw Chick score the winning try in Newcastle’s remarkable Heineken Champions Cup comeback at home to French giants Montpellier.

Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards said: “Callum is a very talented player who has already proven himself capable at the very top level of the club game.

“He reads the game well, he has a fantastic skill set and has shown a huge level of maturity in his performances for us, so it’s fantastic news that another top homegrown player has committed their future here.”

Chick, who has featured in 21 games this season for the club, said: “I was a Falcons fan growing up. This has always been my club and it’s great to have been able to extend my contract here.

“We have a huge pool of back row talent and it’s a privilege being able to learn from those guys every single day. I just want to continue becoming a better player, and I know this is the best place for me to do that.”

Relegation threatened Falcons are currently in the middle of producing their own version of The Great Escape.

They had won just three of their first 14 matches in the Premiership this season and were odd-on to be relegated at the end of the campaign.

However, they have won their last three games, beating Worcester, Wasps and Sale in quick succession to leave them just three points off safety with five games remaining.