Injury blow for Falcons as Nili Latu goes under the knife

Newcastle Falcons will be without back-row forward Tonga captain Nili Latu for the first 3 months of the new Premiership season after he underwent a knee operation.

“Obviously it is a disappointing to blow to lose a player of Nili’s quality for that length of time, but at the same time it is an opportunity for other guys," director of rugby Dean Richards revealed.

Latu, who scored a hat-trick of tries in the Falcons’ final game of last season, skippered his country in the Pacific Nations Cup in June.