Newcastle welcome back familiar face after club starts 2020/21 Premiership training this week
Tom Penny has spoken of his delight at returning home, the 25-year-old centre signing a two-year deal with Newcastle Falcons ahead of their 2020/21 Gallagher Premiership return.
The Northumbrian - a product of the Falcons academy who had scored five tries in his 39 appearances for the club - has gone back to Kingston Park after a Premiership and Champions Cup stint last season with Harlequins.
“It’s really good to be back," said Penny. “It hasn’t been that long in reality so everything is still familiar, but I have started back with the rest of the squad and it’s a great feeling.”
Director of rugby Dean Richards added: “Tom is a real talent who has enjoyed some high-level rugby during his brief time away. He knows our systems inside out and is a local lad who plays the game with pace and aggression, so it was a no-brainer when we had the chance to bring him back into the fold.”
Penny believes Newcastle will be Premiership-ready when they return to the top flight on the weekend of November 20, the squad this week starting their official pre-season training programme.
“We’re in the good position of having a few months to get in a proper pre-season before the Premiership starts and we’re now getting stuck into that,” he said. “We had day one on Monday, which was just training in small groups after having our Covid tests.
"It will be like that for a couple of weeks while we get all the results through and all that, but we have started the gym and the field work which is really the foundation for what will follow as the season gets closer.”
Having played a part in Falcons’ Championship promotion campaign before his winter switch to London, Penny added: “I was obviously keeping an eye on Newcastle’s results while I was away – firstly because I’m a Falcons fan, and then obviously with just wanting my mates and the club to do well.
“It was great to see them ploughing on and claiming that unbeaten record when the season was brought to a close in March, and there is no doubt in my mind they were always a Premiership club.
“The Championship is a tough league and the boys really had to graft all the way through, but they proved more than up to that challenge and fully deserved their promotion when it was confirmed.”
Regarding his experience at Harlequins, Penny said: “I’ve always thought that rugby is a good way to travel, see the world and take in different experiences, so in that sense being at Harlequins for a few months was a positive thing.
“You learn from all the coaches and players you work with, and I’m sure I will have picked up little bits from the likes of Sean Long, Nick Evans and all the guys I played with down there.
“That’s not to say it was massively different to Newcastle, because professional rugby is broadly the same wherever you are, but if I’ve brought back a couple of bits and bobs to use with the Falcons this coming season then all the better.”
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It might be legal but he’s sailing pretty close to the wind. Not a lot needs to go wrong for Finau to end up in the bin. Was it late? Not quite, but borderline. High? A couple of CM within the laws, no room for error with that one. Did he wrap the arms? There was a token effort to wrap one arm, the intent was clearly to hit with the shoulder. So yeah, it’s legal, just. But as we all know, a very slight change in the dynamics could easily have him seeing red. Hopefully not when it really matters.
Go to commentsYou forget this is Rassie Erasmus who is still holding the Springbok keys. Even with Felix Jones orchestrating a really tight RWC SF last year. It still wasn't enough to get England past their particular Springbok Monkey in world cups. The reason is FJ was going off of what they did in 2019 not necessarily adapting to current Springboks. So yes, Australia can get passed England because let's be honest, England have a one track strategy, Springboks do not. Even with rush defense I wouldn't be surprised if Rassie continually tweaks it. Also bear in mind Rassie is happy to sacrifice a few mid year and inter World Cup matches to pin point how opposition plays and how to again tweak strategies to get his Springboks in peak performance for the next World Cup. As much as most teams like to win games in front of them and try to win everything, Rassie always makes sure to learn and train for the greatest showdown International Rugby has to offer. Tbh, most people remember World Cup wins and ignore intermediate losses as a result but will remember also WC losses, Ireland, even if they won games in the interim. So even if games are won against the Springboks, it's likely Rassie is just getting a feel for how opposition is moving and adapt accordingly…in time. For Rassie, a loss is never a loss because he uses it as a chance to learn and improve. Sometimes during a game, again like the England match in last year's Semi Final.
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