Back-rower Callum Chick has extended his contract with Newcastle Falcons, signing on for an additional two-years at Kingston Park. Chick is a home-grown product of the Falcons Academy, and made his first team debut against Wasps in October 2016.
A fully-capped England international, Chick made his debut during the Eddie Jones era, in a 4th of July clash against the United States at Twickenham in 2021. Chick was reportedly linked in The Rugby Paper, with a move to Exeter Chiefs, however it seems that the number eight has stayed put in the North East with Falcons.
The 26-year-old is delighted to continue his career in his hometown, and represent the club that he unconditionally supports. Speaking on the official Newcastle Falcons website, Chick said;
“It’s exciting for me as a local lad to be playing for my home town team on the Premiership stage, and I want to be a part of the success of the Falcons.
“The fact that this is my boyhood club and my home area was a massive factor in the end, and I’m fully committed to helping us push on and eventually be in a position to win things.
The number-eight highlighted how their is a strong contingent of academy graduates within the current Newcastle Falcons squad, and that there are exciting times to come with more break-out stars on the horizon.
“As much as I’ve said it’s a period of change for the club, we’ve still got that homegrown core that you always associate with Newcastle Falcons.
“You’ve got guys like Jamie Blamire, Adam Radwan, Ben Stevenson and the like all coming through the system and committing to new deals, and players like Brett Connon and Tom Penny who are already under contract, to name just a few.
“Local lads are a massive part of our identity along with the guys who come in from outside and add so much to the group, and we always want to retain that.
“They’re a huge part of what we’re about as a club, and if people see those local guys coming through and doing well for the Falcons then it just helps everything to keep on growing in a really positive fashion.”
Interim head coach Mark Laycock welcomed news of Chick’s extension, saying: “I’m over the moon that Chicky has committed his future to the club, as I know our supporters will be.
“He’s been in exceptional form over the last few months, he’s a brilliant leader for us and I know he’ll set a strong standard for the future as we look to move the club forward.
“We often talk about our local players but it’s great to have someone who is so homegrown – he grew up just across the field here – choosing to stick around.”
“My first sighting of him was playing on the back pitches at Kingston Park for Ponteland RFC when he was 11 - actually against Jonny McPhillips, who also ended up coming through and having a professional rugby career. That was when we first spotted him, and he joined the academy when he was 12.
“He’s come all the way through with us and was part of our ACE programme at Gosforth Academy, which has done so well in bringing state school kids through to the professional game. He’s done exceptionally well with his England age-group stuff and gone on to get capped by the full national side, and it’s a great story backed up by talent and hard work.”
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