19-year-old fullback sensation Ben Redshaw has been earning his stripes up in Newcastle this season, as he is enjoying a breakout campaign at Kingston Park. The flying Falcon is spreading his wings for club and country, as outside of the Premiership campaign Redshaw has been starring for England in the 2024 U20s Six Nations.
Mark Mapletoft and Andy Titterrell’s men are leading the way at the top of the table, yet had their hopes of a Grand Slam nullified by Ireland last weekend. A back and forth sparring contest finished in a 32-32 draw, yet England still remain on course to win the age group Championship. Redshaw has been paramount to the side’s success so far, as he has starred at fullback and outside centre for the England U20s.
In an exclusive interview with RUCK, Redshaw discussed his thoughts on the ongoing U20 Six Nations campaign, after three consecutive victories against Italy, Wales and Scotland, before the draw with the Irish.
“Yeah, really positive. I mean, the first three games we came away with 15 points, which is all you can really ask for, really. So really happy in terms of that. And then obviously, Friday was a tough encounter with Ireland, I think they maybe played their game a little bit better than we did. But I think the way we stuck in it, and the way we fought to the end, it was pretty special. Obviously, it was a penalty at the end, which led to that (equalising) try, but yeah, we’re definitely in it for the full 80, it was a really good game and a really good atmosphere.”
As versatile as they come, Redshaw’s adaptability to play across multiple positions comes from an all-rounder sporting background. An impressive athlete from an early age, Redshaw’s ability to run out at centre, fullback or even on the wing, added many strings to his bow in his age group progression. The 19-year-old discussed his Swiss Army skillset, in what led to him being bestowed the honour of England U18s captain for last season’s Six Nations.
“As well as even coming through the pathway, through the U18s into the development camps, when I was in lower sixth, and then through my school time, and upper sixth as well. But just the whole journey has been pretty special, it has been a massive part of my development.
“A big reason for that is through my school, my parents, getting me to those places to have those opportunities to play, which was really special. But, the whole pathway of 18, 20s has been a massive step up for me and made me look at my game in different ways and allow me to improve on myself as an individual and as a team as well. So it’s been a really good journey. And hopefully I can keep taking it forward.”
“I think a big part of my skill set comes from me as a younger player, I used to play loads of different sports. I played a lot of football, lot of athletics, a lot of running, just loads of different things that I really enjoyed doing. I think, it has played a big part in where I am today in terms of my skill set, just having that variety and being able to apply myself to different parts of the game, because I think that’s, been a massive part of my development.
“I think, you’ve almost got to be a versatile player I mean, it’s hard to be just a specific one position (player), it might not help you out in some scenarios, but I think that’s a definitely a big strength of mine in terms of I can play multiple positions. I feel like part of that is my adaptability, and my ability learn quickly. I feel like I read the game quite well. And I read myself and I can tell if I’m on it or not. I think a big part of that is adapting and I think that’s sort of picking up and focusing on skills.”
Native to Leeds and a graduate of Sedbergh School, Redshaw has swapped Yorkshire for the North East following fast-tracked career. The fledgling Falcon has established himself in the senior Newcastle set-up this season, after Alex Codling took a chance on the young bolter early on in the season. Redshaw made his first team debut from the bench against Bedford Blues in the Premiership Rugby Cup, before running out from the off to mark his maiden Premiership appearence.
Redshaw lined up against the likes of Finn Russell and Cam Redpath, as Newcastle took on Bath at the Recreation Ground back in October. The recent memory is fondly recalled by the fullback, in what he described as ‘pretty special.’
“Getting the opportunity to play was pretty special. The first day of the premiership, it was my first kind of premiership game outside of school. I was pretty taken away with the opportunity.”
“I’ve said before as well, massive thanks to Alex (Codling) for giving me that opportunity. And giving me those opportunities that I had to play at such a young age, but I was nervous, of course I was. I like to think that I’m quite relaxed person, I’m quite a relaxed player. I think I’ll work myself up in the first couple of days of the week. And then as the game gets closer and closer, I feel more calm. And I trust myself, I trust in the team. So obviously, there’s big players around me, they were helping me in terms of having small conversations here and there.
“But yeah, I think a big part for me was that they trusted me as well. So they knew that I knew my role at the line-out, they knew that I knew my role, off set piece and things like that. So yeah, a big part from them was making sure that I was confident and looking at if I was going into that game, it was just nice to get I think it was a 50, 53 minute run out, which was way more than I expected, and is something that I won’t take for granted.”
“I mean, it all kind of happened at once. Really? I mean, obviously, Finn (Russell) ended up on the pitch, which was, like, awesome. And then obviously, I think, I think Cam (Redpath) was playing, Joe Cokanasiga, Will Muir, some some big names, Alfie Barbeary, loads of these big players, I think that as a whole was probably the biggest thing I remember just playing against a team like that, with players like they do, it’s pretty awesome.
“Just having that experience to play against them. I mean, especially Finn, just how easy he make things look and just obviously, as a talent, he’s looking for that like kick space all the time. And just me marking him, and trying to prevent him from doing that was pretty cool.”
Redshaw has managed to cross over for a try in his short Falcons career, and the score coincided with a crucial win for Newcastle after an underwhelming start to the season. Newcastle were able to end their run of 14 successive defeats, as Redshaw’s try contribute pivotal points in their 32-23 win against Perpignan. The versatile back lined up on the right wing for this match, and discussed his feelings of elation as he scored the first senior points of his career.
“I mean, having been away in the south of France was pretty cool. I mean, a big, big part of rugby is that traveling side of things and playing those away fixtures is pretty special. I look forward to it when it comes up, and obviously getting get a first try was pretty cool. And the way I did it wasn’t too bad either.
“I think it was really nice for us to get that win out there. Obviously we were struggling at the start of season, we hadn’t gone too well. But it’s nice to be picking things up and obviously having Steve Diamond coming in now, having that change as well. So hopefully, going forward, we’ll be able to change things in a positive way.”
One of rugby’s more outspoken characters, Steve Diamond joined Newcastle as the club’s Consultant Director of Rugby back in January. The former Sale Sharks and Worcester Warriors head coach is as straight-talking as they come, and Redpath discussed his experiences with a coach who he described as ‘stern’, but has been welcomed by the players.
“I haven’t had many one to one chats with him. He’s a stern bloke. I’ve seen him in training, he knows what he wants clearly, and he clearly wants change, which is what we need essentially. I think so far he’s been really positive. He’s got a really positive reaction from, from all the lads. And everyone’s buying into what he’s trying to bring in. So, hopefully, yeah, that can turn into a few good results going forward.”
Diamond has an impressive assortment of players to rally in the Kingston Park changing room, as they likes of Adam Radwan, Jamie Blamire, Callum Chick and Guy Pepper look to lead the Falcons into a more successful era once the Premiership returns. Redshaw will also be a paramount player for the Falcons’ future, and he has been relishing in the opportunity to learn from the England squad members that have taken him in under their wings.
“Training with the likes of Radders (Adam Radwan) and Blammy (Jamie Blamire) and people like that, it’s just quite eye-opening. It’s quite nice to see it from their perspective and see the game from their point of view. I think playing with Radders and being alongside him in the back-three, he’s a really easy bloke to talk to and we get along quite well. It’s nice to just be able to bounce questions off him. I like to learn off him, I like to see how he’s thinking, but also, I like to think that he bounces questions off me as well.
“He’ll ask for my point of view. As a fullback, obviously, I’ll see the game different to him, I’ll see different pictures to him, but it’s really important that we keep talking and keep that communication really strong with those bigger players. I think it’s really important that you learn off them and also making your own (decisions), if that makes sense.
“But I’d like to say that, they’ve had a big part of my development as well, especially in the time away with the senior team, with England and having the opportunity to go and learn off those players.”
As Redshaw alluded to, the fullback was called up by Steve Borthwick last Summer and was invited to train with the England squad ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The Newcastle man was utilised against the selected England players, and was told to ‘play like Argentina’, ahead of the opening pool stage match down in Marseille. Redshaw’s game grew exponentially in this time, and he discussed how he was admittedly star-struck when lining up against the likes of Owen Farrell and Manu Tuilagi.
“When I got told about it I was absolutely speechless, I didn’t really know what to think, to be honest. But yeah, it’s pretty special again, that call to go and spend that week with them. And obviously the opportunity to be in training, be in every meeting, be in every rep of training was pretty special and something I won’t forget.
“Just in terms of being able to learn off people, Steve (Borthwick) see his point of view, and the likes of Farrell, he was there at the time, and Marcus (Smith), Manu (Tuilagi) all those bigger names, and it was, like people I’ve been watching for a long time, since I started playing rugby when I was five. Which was pretty special, just to learn off people get the opportunity to showcase myself as well as helping them out to thankfully winning against Argentina as they did.”
“Steve actually did say to me, we want you to play as the Argentinian wingers. So I was doing that, I was I was picking up on what they were talking about in the meetings around how they act and how they train. So I tried to implement that as much as I could. I do remember Marcus (Smith) breaking my ankles one time, that was pretty cool. But I think just being out there and seeing what the environment is like and how they how they look at their opponents, which was pretty cool.”
With four years to go until the 2027 Rugby World Cup kicks off in Australia, Redshaw is taking every day as it comes in search of a senior England call-up. For now, he is enjoying his rugby in the England pathway system, where he gets to share the journey with a trio of his Newcastle teammates and bond together with a ‘brotherhood’ of players from across the Premiership.
“We’ve also got Oli Spencer as well, and Jacob Oliver and Ben Douglas (at Newcastle), we’re traveling down to these (England U20) camps together all the time, we spend a lot of time together. So that’s really nice to have that.
“I think, a big emphasis on the U20 camps has been we’re all coming from different clubs. So trying to be as close as possible as a group. We use the word ‘brotherhood’, and it’s something that we pride ourselves on in terms of how close we are.”
“I think you’ve touched on it there in terms of enjoying myself, I think the massive part for me is just enjoying and loving what I do. I do love what I do, I say to a lot of people I can’t really believe it’s my job in a sense. That seems nuts to me.
“Goals would be to just play as much rugby as I can while I’m young, just keep playing get that experience, get the minutes as high as I can and I might not have done that as much this year, but hopefully next year I’ll be able to ramp the minutes up and just play as much as I can, and just enjoy it.
“If the senior England happens in the future, it happens and I’d be so grateful for that. But yeah, just at the moment just in general I’ll be working on my own development skills and keep pushing myself forward.