Brett Connon signs contract extension at Newcastle Falcons

Homegrown fly-half Brett Connon has signed a two-year contract extension with Newcastle Falcons.

The 25-year-old Carlisle native has scored 286 points in his 68 appearances for the club, with the academy graduate having played for Ireland Under-20s.

“I’ve been involved with the Falcons since I was 15, and even before that I came here as a fan,” said Connon, whose last Gallagher Premiership outing at Worcester this month saw him scoring a try and kicking seven from seven in a 45-10 triumph.

“I would be waiting for the players’ autographs after the games, so to be here now as a player myself is really special.

“Playing for the club you supported as a boy is most people’s dream, and as well as being close to family and friends it’s great being part of something exciting with the way we’re building here.”

Looking forward to another two years on Tyneside, he added: “I’ve learned loads from the coaches and players we’ve had here during my time with the Falcons.

“You take bits from each of them, and hopefully now that I’ve been here a little while there might be some things that I’m able to pass on to the younger lads coming through.

“We’ve got a young, exciting squad here with a lot of homegrown players, and at 25 it feels like I’m getting on a little bit!

“We always talk about games like Toulon away and Montpellier at home as being the best times at the club, and over the next two years if I can help us get back to occasions like that, then I’ll be happy.

“Getting back into the top half of the Premiership and into the top level of European competition is where we want to be, for the club and all of our supporters.”

Newcastle’s next assignment is Friday night’s trip to northern rivals Sale Sharks, with Connon predicting a typically gritty encounter at the AJ Bell Stadium.

“It’s always a really tough game over at Sale,” he said.

“They’re a physical team, you know what you’re getting on a Friday night there and it’s always a niggly fixture where both sides end up going at it up front.

“Hopefully we can play a bit of rugby in the three games we have left this season – Sale are obviously chasing that top four, and it’s a massive game for them.

“From our side we need to prove ourselves because we’ve not quite had the season we want, and we’re committed to pushing these last few games to show what we’re about leading into next year.”