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The hybrid Sevens star tipped to fill Adam Radwan void at Newcastle
By Chris Jones
Newcastle boss Steve Diamond will not use the money generated by Adam Radwan’s move to Leicester Tigers to bring in another international wing and believes Max Pepper, older brother of Bath’s Guy, has the skills to fill the attacking void.
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Diamond has earmarked the transfer money and salary created by Radwan’s move to bring in a hooker, outside half, scrum half or lock and insists the club will again operate on a budget of barely £4m next season leaving them trailing behind other Premiership clubs.
Pepper, 23, gets his first outing in the No14 jersey normally worn by England international Radwan when Falcons fly to the West Country to face Bristol on Sunday.
Pepper, like his brother a product of Barnard Castle school, is one of the club’s academy products that Diamond is confident can rapidly come through to become a first-team regular. Pepper is a specialist scrum-half but has the pace to operate on the wing and has already represented the Great Britain sevens team.
Diamond said: “Max is the next one off the rank and I see him as very similar to Ben Foden who I had as a kid. I think Max’s best position is the wing, he is great athlete and also ticks the box of playing in multiple positions and so we can mess about with our bench. He can play back three as well as scrum half.
“We are recruiting on the same budget as this season and that will change when a new investor comes in. I am not bringing anyone in now and when we know if there is a play-off, I may sign someone.”
Last season Bristol beat Falcons 85-14 but Diamond is adamant there will not be a repeat of that thrashing adding: “We don’t want to play the way they want and they can expose defences. If we keep our discipline we will be highly competitive.”
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