Carl Hayman swapped the black shirt of New Zealand for the black shirt of Newcastle Falcons this week and could be just days away from a European debut in Ireland.
Carl Hayman swapped the black shirt of New Zealand for the black shirt of Newcastle Falcons this week - and could make his European Challenge Cup debut in the Round 3 match at Connacht Rugby on Friday, 7 December.
The Falcons registered the Kiwi tight head prop for Europe and he could take his Euro bow in the first of the back-to-back Pool 3 matches.
"I have a few mates back home who had spent some time here, like Craig Newby from Otago, who played at Newcastle a couple of years back, and he had great things to say about the club and the people," said Hayman, who could make his Falcons debut as early as this Saturday at London Wasps.
"Joe McDonnell is a good pal of mine so I was able to get the inside track, if you like, and also Brent Wilson who is at the club right now is a former flat mate of mine from when we were playing club rugby in Otago."
"There was the option of going to France, but my French isn't too flash and I just couldn't see myself there, so I thought I'd have a crack at picking up the Geordie accent instead! "There were other clubs to consider, but in the end Newcastle just seemed like the ideal fit.
"Every player's aim is to win things, and I'm no different. I wouldn't have come here if I didn't believe it was achievable, and everything I've seen since I arrived at the Falcons has backed up my feeling that this is a team which can win things.
"I only turned 28 a couple of weeks ago, so I have plenty of good rugby left in me. People sometimes accuse the overseas guys of coming over here for the pension, but anyone that knows me will tell you that's not how I operate. I believe the best years of my career are yet to come, and I've signed here with that in mind."
