Newcastle Falcons facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

For the Australian NBL team, see Newcastle Falcons (basketball). For the Australian NBL1 East club, see Newcastle Falcons (NBL1 East).

Quick facts for kids
Newcastle Red Bulls

Full name

Newcastle Red Bulls

Union

Northumberland RFU

Founded

1877; 148 years ago

Location

Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England

Ground(s)

Kingston Park (Capacity: 10,200)

Director of Rugby

Steve Diamond

Most caps

Tom May (193)

Top scorer

Jonny Wilkinson (1,489)

Most tries

Tom May (47)

League(s)

Premiership Rugby

2024–25

10th

1st kit

2nd kit

3rd kit

Largest win

Newcastle Falcons 156–5 Rugby Lions
(1996)

Largest defeat

Leicester Tigers 83–10 Newcastle Falcons
(2004)

Official website

The Newcastle Red Bulls are a professional rugby union team. They play in the Premiership Rugby, which is the top league for rugby in England. This team used to be called the Newcastle Falcons.

The club started way back in 1877 as the Gosforth Football Club. Over the years, their name changed a few times. In 1990, they became Newcastle Gosforth and moved to their home stadium, Kingston Park, in Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1996, when rugby became a professional sport, they briefly changed their name again before becoming the Newcastle Falcons. In August 2025, they became the Newcastle Red Bulls.

The Red Bulls have won some big titles! They won the Premiership league in 1998. They also won four important domestic cups in 1976, 1977, 2001, and 2004.

Many famous players have been part of the team. One of the most well-known is Jonny Wilkinson, who played for them from 1997 to 2009. He was a key player when England won the Rugby World Cup in 2003. Other players like Mathew Tait, Toby Flood, and Mark Wilson also played for England in World Cup finals while with the club.

Team History

How the Team's Name Changed

The team has had several names over the years:

Gosforth Football Club (1877–1882)
Northumberland Football Club (1882–1887); They joined with another club and used their name.
Gosforth Football Club (1887–1990); They went back to their original name.
Newcastle Gosforth (1990–1995)
Newcastle Rugby Club (1996); This is when rugby became a professional sport.
Newcastle Falcons (1997–2025)
Newcastle Red Bulls (2025–Present): The team was renamed after a company called Red Bull took over.

The Early Days (1877-1990)

The Gosforth Football Club started in 1877. It was created by former students from Durham School. The team wore green and white striped jerseys for many years. The name Gosforth comes from a part of Newcastle upon Tyne.

In 1955, the club moved to a new home at North Road. They stayed there until 1990. During this time, especially in the late 1970s, Gosforth was very successful. They won the John Player Cup two years in a row, in 1976 and 1977.

Many talented players from Gosforth went on to play for bigger teams. Some even played for the British and Irish Lions, a famous touring team. These players included Arthur Smith, Roger Uttley, and Jim Pollock.

In 1990, the club changed its name to Newcastle Gosforth. They also moved to their current stadium, Kingston Park. The original Gosforth Rugby Football Club still exists as a separate amateur team.

Becoming Professional (1996-2006)

In 1996, the team became the Newcastle Falcons. They also changed their colors to black and white. This happened when a local businessman, Sir John Hall, took over. He wanted to create a big sports club in Newcastle, like Barcelona in Spain. This club included the football team, a basketball team, an ice hockey team, and the rugby team.

Newcastle Falcons was one of the first fully professional rugby clubs in the world. In 1995, Rob Andrew, a former player, became the Director of Rugby. The club quickly moved up from the Second Division to the top league, the Premiership.

The very next season, in 1997-98, Newcastle Falcons won the English Premiership! This was a huge achievement for them. Famous players on that team included Inga Tuigamala, Doddie Weir, Gary Armstrong, and a young Jonny Wilkinson.

In 1999, Sir John Hall sold the Falcons to another local businessman, Dave Thompson. Under Thompson's ownership, the Falcons won two more cups. They won the Powergen Cup in 2001 and again in 2004.

In 2004, Matt Burke, a legendary player from Australia, joined the Falcons. He played alongside Jonny Wilkinson. The team also had other great kickers like Dave Walder and Toby Flood. In the 2004-05 season, the Falcons had their best performance in the Heineken Cup, reaching the quarter-finals.

In 2006, Rob Andrew left the Falcons to work with the England national team. John Fletcher, who used to lead the club's youth academy, took over as the new Director of Rugby.

Challenges and Changes (2007-2009)

The 2007-08 season started with excitement. Carl Hayman, a top player from New Zealand, joined the Falcons. However, the team faced many challenges that season. The Director of Rugby, John Fletcher, left the club. Steve Bates then took over as the new Director of Rugby.

Despite the changes, the Falcons had a tough time. They lost several Premiership games in a row. At the end of the season, some talented young English players, like Toby Flood and Mathew Tait, left the club. Matt Burke also retired because of an injury.

In 2008, there were talks about someone buying the club. But the chairman, Dave Thompson, decided not to sell. He felt it was causing too much uncertainty for the team.

On the field, the Falcons reached the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup. They finished 10th in the Premiership league. This season was a big moment because Jonny Wilkinson, a legendary player, left the club. Many other talented players, like Geoff Parling and Tom May, also moved to other teams.

New Coaches and Relegation (2010-2012)

The Falcons struggled to replace the quality players who had left. In 2010, Steve Bates' contract ended, and Alan Tait became the new coach. The team faced financial difficulties, but a local businessman, Semore Kurdi, bought a part of the club in 2010, which helped a lot.

In Alan Tait's first season, the Falcons reached the Anglo-Welsh Cup final, but they lost. They finished their worst ever Premiership season, barely avoiding being moved down to a lower league.

However, in the 2011-12 season, the Newcastle Falcons were moved down from the Premiership. They tried hard to stay up, but it wasn't enough. Many players, including Euan Murray, left the club after this.

Back to the Top League (2012-2014)

In the 2012-13 season, the Falcons played in the Championship, which is the second division. Dean Richards became the new Director of Rugby. He appointed Will Welch as the team captain. The team signed experienced players like Scott MacLeod and Carlo Del Fava.

The Falcons had a fantastic season, winning all their games. They even beat a touring Tongan national team. They won the Championship play-off final against the Bedford Blues. This meant they were promoted back to the Premiership for the 2013-14 season!

Before returning to the Premiership, their star player Jimmy Gopperth left. But the Falcons brought back former players like Rory Clegg and Kieran Brookes. They also signed other strong players from Scotland and France. Despite a tough season with some injuries, the Falcons managed to stay in the Premiership.

Building the Squad (2014-2017)

For the 2014-15 season, the Falcons made some exciting new signings. They brought in Alesana Tuilagi, a top try scorer, and his brother Andy Tuilagi. Other notable players like Joshua Furno and Kane Thompson also joined. The Falcons finished 11th in the league.

Before the 2015-16 season, some players left, but the Falcons signed many stars from the 2015 Rugby World Cup. These included Nili Latu and Sonatane Takulua from Tonga, and Jon Welsh from Scotland. They also welcomed back former scrum-half Micky Young.

In the 2016-17 season, Dave Wilson returned to the Falcons after playing for Bath for seven years. French international Maxime Mermoz also joined. Winger Vereniki Goneva was a standout player, and Mark Wilson earned his first caps for England.

Highs and Lows (2017-2019)

For the 2017-18 season, former England fly-half Toby Flood returned to the team. The Falcons had a great season, finishing fourth in the Premiership. This was their highest position in 20 years! They played in the semi-finals but lost to Exeter Chiefs. After the season, several long-serving players retired.

In the 2018-19 season, Newcastle expanded their squad with key players like Logovi'i Mulipola and Nemani Nagusa. The Falcons also returned to the Heineken Champions Cup after 13 years. They had a famous victory against Toulon in France, becoming only the second team to beat them at home in that competition.

Mark Wilson became a regular player for England in 2019. The Falcons also played a special match against Sale Sharks at St. James' Park, the home of Newcastle United. This event, called "The Big One," was a charity match for Doddie Weir and his foundation. Over 27,000 fans attended, and Newcastle won!

However, on May 4, 2019, it was confirmed that Newcastle Falcons would be moved down to the Championship again. Many important players left the club after this.

Undefeated Champions (2019-2020)

The Falcons were determined to get back to the Premiership. In the 2019-20 Greene King Championship season, they won every single match, both at home and away! Their biggest win was 41–0 against Bedford Blues.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was stopped early in March 2020. Because of their amazing record, Newcastle Falcons were declared champions and promoted back to the Premiership! The club had to make some salary reductions to ensure the team could survive during this difficult time.

Return to Premiership and Recent Seasons (2020-2025)

After an eight-month break, rugby started again in England. Newcastle, back in the Premiership, strengthened its squad. They signed Luther Burrell and extended contracts for home-grown talents like Gary Graham and Jamie Blamire.

In the 2021-22 season, Newcastle finished 12th in the Premiership. They then finished bottom of the table in both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.

The 2024-25 season saw a big change. On October 18, 2024, Newcastle Falcons ended a long 25-match losing streak with a victory over Exeter Chiefs. This was their first league win since March 2023. They continued to improve, winning five of their last six games in all competitions by November 2024. However, the club faced financial challenges and announced a player recruitment freeze in March 2025. The Director of Rugby, Steve Diamond, also received a ban. Newcastle Falcons finished bottom of the table for the third season in a row.

Red Bull Takes Over (2025)

In August 2025, it was announced that the club had been bought by Red Bull, a well-known energy drink company. The team was then renamed Newcastle Red Bulls. The previous owner, Semore Kurdi, had put the club up for sale at the end of 2024. As part of the deal, Red Bull agreed to take on the club's debt. They also confirmed that Kingston Park would remain the team's home stadium and Steve Diamond would continue as Director of Rugby.

Club Information

Kingston Park, the home stadium of the Newcastle Red Bulls.

Stadium

The Newcastle Red Bulls play their home games at Kingston Park. The stadium can hold 10,250 fans. It has three modern stands: the North standing Terrace, the South Stand Terrace (where the loudest fans gather), and the West Stand with all seats. There's also the original Gosforth East stand, which still has green and white seats from the team's early days.

The playing field at Kingston Park was recently updated. It now has a special 3G synthetic pitch instead of grass. This helps make sure games aren't cancelled because of bad weather in the North East of England. In 2015, the Falcons bought Kingston Park back from Northumbria University, showing their commitment to the stadium.

On September 16, 2017, the Falcons played a home game in the United States. They faced Saracens in Philadelphia, becoming the second English team to host a game there.

On March 24, 2018, Newcastle Falcons hosted "The Big One." This was a Premiership game against Northampton Saints played at St James' Park, the home of Newcastle United F.C.. The goal was to promote rugby in the North East and attract a huge crowd. Over 30,000 people attended the game, and the Falcons won! This was the first Premiership Rugby match played at St James' Park, and it was so successful that they did it again in 2018-2019.

Kits

Gosforth

When the club was known as Gosforth, the team wore green and white striped jerseys. These colors are still used by the amateur Gosforth Rugby Club today.

Season	Kit manufacturer
1997–2001	Adidas
2001–2003	Gilbert
2003–2007	Kooga
2007–2008	Nike
2008–2012	Cotton Traders
2012–2014	Orion
2014–2017	Gilbert
2017–2020	ISC
2020–2024	Macron
2024-	VX3

Club Honours

National Titles

Premiership Rugby
- Champions: (1) 1997–98
Championship (2nd division)
- Champions: (3) 1992–93, 2012–13, 2019–20
- Runners–Up: (1) 1996–97
RFU Knockout Cup
- Champions: (4) 1975–76, 1976–77, 2000–01, 2003–04
- Runners–Up: (2) 1998–99, 2010–11
British and Irish Cup
- Runners–Up: (1) 2012–13

Local Titles

Northumberland Senior Cup
- Champions: (30) 1927–28, 1955–56, 1959–60, 1961–62, 1962–63, 1963–64, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1989–90, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94

Sevens Tournaments

Melrose Sevens
- Champions: (1) 2006
Hawick Sevens
- Champions: (3) 2005, 2006, 2007
Langholm Sevens
- Champions: (4) 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Selkirk Sevens
- Champions: (1) 2004
Peebles Sevens
- Champions: (1) 2004
Middlesex Sevens
- Champions: (1) 2007

Current Squad

The Newcastle Red Bulls squad for the 2025–26 season is:

Note: Flags indicate national union as has been defined under WR eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-WR nationality.

Player	Position	Union
Bryan Byrne	Hooker	Ireland
Ollie Fletcher	Hooker	England
George McGuigan	Hooker	England
Eduardo Bello	Prop	Argentina
Adam Brocklebank	Prop	England
Luan de Bruin	Prop	South Africa
Murray McCallum	Prop	Scotland
Richard Palframan	Prop	South Africa
Tim Cardall	Lock	England
Sebastian de Chaves	Lock	South Africa
Freddie Clarke	Lock	England
John Hawkins	Lock	England
Jamie Hodgson	Lock	Scotland
Adam Scott	Lock	England
Oscar Usher	Lock	England
Tom Gordon	Back row	Scotland
John Kelly	Back row	England
Ollie Leatherbarrow	Back row	Scotland
Freddie Lockwood	Back row	England
Amanaki Mafi	Back row	Japan
Cameron Neild	Back row	England
Marcus Tiffen	Back row	England
Philip van der Walt	Back row	South Africa

Player	Position	Union
Simón Benítez Cruz	Scrum-half	Argentina
James Elliott	Scrum-half	England
Sam Stuart	Scrum-half	England
Brett Connon	Fly-half	Ireland
Sammy Arnold	Centre	Ireland
Max Clark	Centre	England
Connor Doherty	Centre	England
Ethan Grayson	Centre	England
Alex Hearle	Wing	England
Elliott Obatoyinbo	Fullback	England

Academy Squad

The Newcastle Red Bulls academy squad is: