Newcastle Falcons have enhanced their midfield lineup by securing experienced centre Max Clark on a three-month deal.
The 29-year-old, who previously made 93 appearances for Bath, brings a wealth of top-flight experience from his stints with the Dragons and Cardiff. Standing at 6-foot-2, the former England Under-20s international has been training with Saracens for much of this season, further honing his skills.
Falcons director of rugby, Steve Diamond, expressed his enthusiasm for the signing:
“It’s no secret that we’ve taken a hit to our midfield with a couple of recent injuries, and Max is a quality option to come in and really make an impact.
“He has played more than 100 top-flight games, he’s at a good age and he’s got all the attributes to come in and make a positive difference.
“He has been training with Saracens this season, he played for them in the Prem Cup and has also had a couple of run-outs for Ampthill over the past few weeks. He is starting with us today and will be available for selection immediately.”
Clark, excited to join the Falcons, said:
“I’m massively excited about the whole thing.
“The chance to come up to Newcastle and hopefully play some rugby is absolutely fantastic, and I love the kind of backs-against-the-wall mentality that the Falcons have. We’ve got a chance to do something quite special and prove a lot of people wrong, and that whole underdog mind-set can be really powerful.”
The Bridgend-born centre also acknowledged his eagerness to get back on the pitch:
“I’m very thankful to Saracens because they’ve allowed me to train full-time with them since the start of their pre-season, and have a few run-outs in the Prem Cup and friendly games. Training there has been brilliant and I can’t thank them enough, but like any rugby player the thing you really want to do when the weekend comes round is get out there and play.
“I’m obviously taking nothing for granted in terms of selection at Newcastle and I know I’ll have to fight hard for a place, but when the call came in from Steve Diamond I just knew it was a great option.”
When asked about his preferred position, Clark explained his versatility:
“I’ve played plenty of games at both, and I wouldn’t say I have a particular preference.
“Some coaches will do it differently in terms of one being a play-maker, being more direct or having the two interchangeable, but over the course of my career it’s been pretty much a 50-50 split between 12 and 13, and I really don’t mind.
“I’d love to say I’ve got the speed of Adam Radwan and the flair of Finn Russell, but the reality is I lean more towards the nitty-gritty side of things. Work rate, defence and running the hard yards are more what my game is based on, but I think there’s always a place for that in rugby and I’ll be suited to what Newcastle are trying to do.”
Clark also shared a light-hearted anecdote about his recent change in appearance:
“I actually had my hair cut off for charity a little while back. When I first turned up at Sarries everyone was like ‘who’s that guy?’ before the penny eventually dropped!”
With Clark joining the squad, Newcastle Falcons are poised to strengthen their midfield and make strides in the season ahead.
