Wilson back to full sharpness for Saints trip
The former England tight-head returned to his hometown club from Bath during the early weeks of the campaign and, having recovered from an off-season injury, is now fully primed to attack the remainder of the season.
Wilson said: “It’s good to be back out there and getting some game time. I am getting some minutes under my belt week by week and just looking to play well.
“You just want to play the best rugby you can straightaway, but it takes a little bit of time to settle into how different teams play. Hopefully this is the right time for me to start playing some good rugby.
“It is a different environment, even though I’ve played here before. It’s different calls, different team-mates, I’ve moved my family 300 miles to be here but I’m ready to go now and loving being back at the club.
“As a player you always want as much game time as possible, but I’ve played enough minutes now for match sharpness not to be an issue. I feel fit, I should be good now in that sense and I’m looking forward to Friday’s game.”
Up against a Saints side who enjoyed the upper hand when the two teams met in the Anglo-Welsh Cup earlier this month, Wilson said: “Northampton are a good side, but they all are in this league.
“There are no bad teams, so like any game we will just go there, work hard and see what we can get.”
Vying for the No 3 shirt with Scotland’s Jon Welsh and England Saxon Scott Wilson, he added: “It is great being back in the North East and representing Newcastle Falcons. With being my home club it makes it extra special, and like everybody else I am here trying to make it work.
“We have great competition with Welshy in the form of his life and Scotty Wilson back from injury. As tight-heads that is driving us on, and when you get that in every position it creates a good environment.
“We have pride in our scrum, and you never want to play in a scrum which is going backwards. My job is to make sure that doesn’t happen, to plant my feet in the ground and push us on. That’s all I am focusing on.”
Newcastle Falcons will be showing Friday’s game live on the TVs in the Tap & Tackle Bar at Kingston Park Stadium on Friday. Kick-off is at 7.45pm, with free food at half-time.
