Newcastle sign Nathan Earle from Premiership champions Harlequins

Newcastle Falcons have signed Nathan Earle on a two-year deal from Gallagher Premiership champions Harlequins, the club have confirmed.

The 26-year-old winger had been listed as one of 11 players set to leave the Harlequins at the end of the season, with injury having limited appearances for the West London side.

"I'm really excited to be joining Newcastle, and can't wait to get stuck into pre-season on July 19," said Earle about the move North. "My little brother and my best mate were both at university in Newcastle so I've been up there plenty of times, and have a bit of an insight into what the place is about."

"I had a couple of positive chats with Dean, and it was really his whole outlook on things which led me to believe that this was the best option for me.

"I feel like Newcastle is somewhere which is going to be exciting next season, and I'll obviously have familiar faces like Mike Brown who is making the same move, and Tom Penny, who I played with the season before when he came down to Quins.

"I'd like to think I'm a bit of an experienced practitioner now, and hopefully I can help what is already an incredibly dangerous back three.

"The Falcons have got loads of quality there, and we can really push on next season. I don't think we're a bottom end of the table team by any means, and it's just an exciting prospect to be up there."

Earle scored four tries in five league games this season for recently-crowned Gallagher Premiership champions Harlequins, having also won the league with Saracens. A proven finisher who has toured with England, Earle has scored 23 tries in his 53 Premiership appearances, plus another four in 13 European outings. A try-scorer for Saracens in their 2017 Premiership final victory over Exeter Chiefs, the 6 foot 2 star also scored on his England debut in the non-cap match against the Barbarians the same year.

The former England Under-20s and 18s wing even won New Zealand's National Provincial Championship with Canterbury back in 2016, scoring in the final, and the Hong-Kong-born flyer is already eager to get started on Tyneside.

"It's the second time I've left a team after they've just won the Premiership title, and even though I was injured for the semi-final and the final it was still a great period to be part of," said Earle. "Those two games were probably two of the best knock-out matches the league has ever seen, and it was great that we did it playing the Quins way.

"It was awesome for the boys who were able to play, but after a couple of days' celebrating I'm just looking forward now and getting excited about the prospect of being a Newcastle Falcons player."

Falcons director of rugby Richards said: "Nathan is someone who has scored tries and won trophies wherever he has been, and I'm delighted to have been able to bring him up to Newcastle.

"He's another good English player adding to what is already a competitive squad, and I'm looking forward to seeing the impact he can make for us."