Newcastle Falcons vs Sale Sharks Match-Day Programme

PLAYER INTERVEIW - BEN REDSHAW
14
With a number of the Falcons squad combining rugby with
university life, Redshaw for the time being is focused solely on
his sport, although he admits he is keeping an open mind on the
situation longer term
“A big influence on that decision was the fact I’m still figuring out
what I want to do outside of rugby. I’ve got a place at Newcastle
University for a sports science degree if I decide to do that,
which I am interested in, but I’m enjoying my rugby at the
moment and it’s a case of seeing how the whole picture looks in
terms of managing my time and what the year might look like.
“Moving from school into full-time rugby is obviously a massive
transition, although in fairness I think Sedbergh prepared me
pretty well for it. Even when I was at school we’d be training
pretty much every day, although obviously the intensity is
higher now. There’s a big emphasis on looking after my body, so
the recovery side of things is really important, and the coaches
here have been very helpful in terms of looking after me and
making sure I have the right balance of time on the field, in the
gym and resting up.”
A busy summer saw Redshaw’s assimilation into the Newcastle
squad followed by a shock call-up to join England’s training
group for a week during the Rugby World Cup in France – a
situation he still smiles about when asked to recall a remarkable
experience.
“It was pretty awesome meeting all the players and staff, and
being around the guys I’d only ever watched on TV – it was crazy,
really,” he says.
“Those guys are the reason I play the sport, and it was a massive
learning opportunity. It wasn’t just a case of holding a tackle bag
or standing on the touchline. I was in every meeting, being part
of every training session and getting feedback from the players
and coaches there. You have to grab those opportunities with
both hands, and the whole thing was unbelievable.”
The rise continued when Redshaw was handed a start at fullback
in round one of the Gallagher Premiership, with the Falcons
showing plenty of credit in defeat away to a Bath side who have
gone on to establish themselves as title contenders.
“It was awesome to make my debut in front of a packed-out
crowd at The Rec, and I was really excited to get that opportunity
so soon. I was a bit nervous because it was a big step up. My
previous game had been a school match, and all of a sudden I’m
starting against Bath in the Premiership. It was a huge day and I
learned a massive amount, especially from the physical side of
things. I’ve taken that forward as I’ve developed, and then my
next game was against Gloucester in a massive storm with the
wind and rain at Kingston Park. It was brutal, to be honest, and
it doesn’t get more Geordie than that. It was a tough evening for
everyone, spectators included, but I learned a lot from that as
well and I’ll be better for the experience.”
Now with nine senior appearances and two tries to his name,
Redshaw reflects, saying: “There’s been a lot of things going
on, bits of chopping and changing, but it’s been really positive
overall from a purely personal point of view. I’ve had lots of
opportunities so early into my career, I’ve experienced a lot of
different things in a short space of time and it’s all good in terms
of my learning.
“We all know it’s been a tough season and things haven’t gone
our way. We’ve had games we could and should have won,