Varndell couldn’t pass up chance at Tigers

TOM Varndell struggled to adapt to life in France and says he is pleased to be back playing in England with Leicester.

The winger, 33, returned to the Tigers last week after nine-and-a-half years away, having cut short a spell with Soyaux Angouleme.

“It’s an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up, to come back to a club that I love so much,” said Varndell, the Premiership’s all-time leading try-scorer.

“The French opportunity came up and I thought it’d be something exciting to do but it had the opposite effect of what I was hoping for. The culture change was so different. To go down there with a young family, it was a lot harder. I found the change too difficult.

“When the enjoyment factor goes out the game, I had to make a change. I didn’t want to waste the last couple of years of my career at a place where I wasn’t enjoying it.”

Varndell ended last season with Scarlets after leaving Bristol.

Meanwhile Newcastle Falcons back rower Mark Wilson has signed a new four-year deal with the club. The 29-year-old has made 221 appearances for the club and has also won eight England caps.

“This is the club that I love and I’ve been here for 14 years of my life, so it’s great to be able to extend that,” Wilson said.

Wilson came through the Falcons academy and made his senior debut in 2010.

“Mark is an outstanding player operating at the very top level of the international game; the fact he sees his future here speaks volumes about the club,” DoR Dean Richards said.

Saracens have extended Joe Gray’s contract for another season. The 30year-old, who trained with Sarries in the summer, joined from Northampton in September on a one-year deal and will now remain in north London until the summer of 2020.

Northampton No.9 Alex Mitchell has signed his first senior contract. The 21-year-old, who joined the academy from Sale in 2015, has signed a deal until 2021.

Bath have released of Darren Allinson from his contract. The scrum-half, who joined from London Irish in 2017 and has made 15 appearances for the club, is looking for a new club.