Payne in at deep end as Falcons look for prop help

Newcastle Falcons may have been able to add a tighthead option to their European squad for Sunday’s visit of Edinburgh in the Heineken Champions Cup but it looks set to be a tough examination for young Jack Payne against a Test-level front row.

The 24-year-old former Scarlets forward joined Newcastle last year with a view to converting to prop. He has since played a handful of games for the Falcons first team but has mainly been turning out for Darlington Mowden Park in England’s National League 1.

The former Australia Under-20 flanker, who is Welsh-qualified, has actually faced Edinburgh before, as a replacement back-rower in March 2015 when then coach Alan Solomons’ side ended Scarlets’ 15-month unbeaten home record.

Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards added Payne, along with former Edinburgh flanker John Hardie, to his squad for Sunday’s Pool 5 clash at Kingston Park.

Scotland centre Chris Harris, meanwhile, is hoping to get another chance to lock horns with international team-mates after last Friday’s 31-13 loss for the English Premiership side at BT Murrayfield.

“The back-to-back games against Edinburgh are great because it’s a chance to play against boys I’ve been training with, and if I’m selected you certainly know you’ll be in that Scottish limelight a bit more,” said the Carlisle-born 27-year-old, who now has six Scotland caps

“It’s definitely big in that sense and I’m not going to pretend otherwise, but on the same note I’m also not going to treat it differently to any other game in terms of how I prepare for it and my mental approach if I’m involved.

“It’s a big opportunity, for sure, but it’s just another game of rugby that I want to play well in if I’m given the chance.”

Speaking on the Newcastle Falcons website Harris added: “Playing Heineken Champions Cup rugby has definitely been a big tick in the box for myself and for the club. I don’t think we look out of place.”