Hayman staying in the Falcons' nest
Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:30
Reports that veteran All Black prop Carl Hayman wants to return to New Zealand has been dismissed by his Guinness Premiership club Newcastle.
It was reported in the New Zealand media that Hayman, who moved to England after last year's World Cup to play for Newcastle, was considering leaving the Falcons because the club was in "financial strife".
The Falcons are currently second from bottom on the Premiership table, with just two wins from eight starts.
And when Hayman returned to New Zealand recently, to make arrangements for his wedding in January, it started the rumour mill going that he is looking to return home.
However, a Newcastle club spokesman confirmed that Hayman is contracted to the Falcons until June 2010.
"He has recently been in New Zealand attending to personal matters, but is now back at Kingston Park continuing with his rehab on a knee injury," the spokesman told rugby365.com.
The "financial strife" rumour was also dismissed.
"There was some media talk of a takeover [of the Falcons club], but our chairman scotched that [rumour] last week," the spokesman added.
Hayman, who played 45 tests for the All Blacks, was at Twickenham last Saturday for the All Blacks' 32-6 win against England.
All Blacks forwards coach Steve Hansen caught up with the tighthead prop.
"I've spoken to him since we've been over there [in Britain]," Hansen told the New Zealand website stuff.co.nz.
"We haven't spoken about him coming home, we've just spoken about how he's going."
* Meanwhile Northumbria University has announced that it has bought Newcastle Falcons' Kingston Park rugby ground.
Northumbria believes the ground is of strategic importance to the future of the sport, and has announced ambitious plans to work with the Falcons to develop the UK's first ever rugby-based Centre of Sporting Excellence at Kingston Park.
Commenting on the acquisition, Northumbria University's Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive, Professor Andrew Wathey said: "The University has enjoyed strong links with Newcastle Falcons for a number of years, bringing benefits to the sport of rugby and to both organisations.
"In 2002, we worked with the Falcons on the planning application to develop Kingston Park and the University's sports ground at Bullocksteads, adjacent to Kingston Park, and it has always been our intention to develop a Centre of Sporting Excellence around rugby in partnership with the club."
The acquisition of the 23-acre site includes the rugby stadium, land around the stadium and the car park.
Newcastle Falcons have an existing lease of the facilities which is unaffected by the acquisition, and they will continue to have full use of all facilities at the ground.
