Bristol hooker Bryan Byrne seals Falcons move
The Irishman has played 44 games in just over three seasons at Bristol, having spent the previous five and a half seasons with Leinster, for whom he played 47 times.
Byrne was a Pro 14, Heineken Champions Cup and B&I Cup winner during his time in the Irish capital, having been capped for Ireland Under-20s, 19s and 18s.
Going on to score 12 tries during his time at Bristol, the seasoned campaigner is now relishing the opportunity to test himself in the North East.
He said: “It’s a really exciting opportunity to come to Newcastle, which I’m looking forward to.
“I spoke on the phone with Alex Codling who is coming in as the new head coach, and he was talking about the vision for the club. That’s definitely something I want to be a part of, and the brand of rugby that Newcastle are playing is really exciting.
“You’ve got that mixture of really talented young players and a tough forward pack, which was very appealing for me. I’ve played against the Falcons quite a few times – it’s never an easy fixture and I’m really enthusiastic about being a part of things up there.”
Giving Falcons fans an idea of what to expect, Byrne said: “Set-piece would probably be the strength of my game, and around the pitch I’ll back myself defensively.
“When I was playing over with Leinster I would say my attack was a strong point of my game, whereas at Bristol the role became more system-led. With the way Newcastle are looking to play I’m excited about being able to contribute a bit more in attack if that’s how the coaches see things, and playing eyes-up rugby.”
Newcastle Falcons forwards coach Micky Ward welcomed news of Byrne’s arrival, saying: “Bryan has got some great experience with Bristol and Leinster, so he’s played at a good level and knows what the Gallagher Premiership is all about.
“Having people who have been in those kind of top-end environments is going to be good for us, and as much as it’s great to have our really talented young players coming through you do need to mix that with experienced guys who are coming in as seasoned professionals.
“His line-out is really solid and he’s good around the field, which is a great foundation with how we want to play the game.”
**BRYAN BYRNE BIOG**
**Born:** 9/9/93
**Height:** 178cm (5 foot 10)
**Weight:** 104kg (16 stone 5)
**Honours:** Ireland U20s, 19s, 18s