‘A special talent’ – Mike Brown on ‘superstar’ Adam Radwan

Full-back Mike Brown says that Newcastle Falcons team-mate Adam Radwan has the potential to be one of the game’s great wings.

The 23-year-old has shone over the past year, earning a call-up to the England squad for their July Tests in the process.

Radwan made his debut against Canada and scored a hat-trick to display his immense potential at international level.

Brown has joined the speedster at Newcastle after moving from Harlequins, having previously spent his entire career at the Twickenham Stoop.

And while the 36-year-old was busy building a new identity for himself in the North East, he conceded he had been greatly impressed with one of the Falcons’ more unusual personalities and talents in Radwan.

Hell of an athlete

“He’s an interesting character, that’s the first thing,” Brown said of Radwan, the Premiership’s player of the month for September.

“He’s kind of like (England and Gloucester wing) Jonny May; quite different from other people! But he’s a top guy who takes on every bit of advice that he can from all players.

“He’s a hell of an athlete so all I have to do is catch the ball, give it to him and let him do his magic. He’s a special talent and he’s got way more potential in it. If he keeps working hard at his game, I can see him being a superstar – I’ve got no doubt about that.”

After 16 years and more than 350 appearances at Quins, Brown has moved north determined to keep on extending his already glittering career.

The gritty full-back has relished the new challenge, however, especially the opportunity to establish his new adult persona.

“It was a bit like turning up for the first day back at school – I was not really sure where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to be doing on my first day,” said Brown.

“I didn’t know lads’ names so you have to learn 50 names and you’re getting calls chucked at you, the schedule chucked at you, different ways of doing things and you’re trying to find your way round the stadium. It was interesting!

“But I’m really enjoying it, the family has settled well and we’re loving the North East.

“I think when you’re at one place for a large amount of time you’re just seen as that guy that came through the academy, seen a certain way.

“And I don’t think people as much as they should take into account the growth you’ve made as a person and as a player.

“So coming into a new environment where nobody really knows exactly what you’re like I was just really keen to be a leader as much as possible, use my experience, contribute as much as I could off the field.

“And I think I’ve done that, obviously you’d have to ask the players, ask the coaches, if I’ve done that.

“But that’s what I’ve tried to do, lead meetings way more than I did before, speak way more than I did before, I think, really embrace that side.

“Because obviously that’s something I do want to work on as well for when I do transition out of the game in a few years, into certain roles that’s something I’ve been wanting to work on as well: leadership and speaking to people in different ways, using different methods and all those things.”

Sale boss hails ‘star in the making’ Raffi Quirke

Meanwhile, Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson believes that rising star Raffi Quirke deserves to be named in the England squad next week.

The scrum-half played a crucial role as the Greater Manchester outfit recorded a much-needed 28-22 victory over defending champions Harlequins on Friday.

“He’s a star in the making isn’t he? A lot of it is about not overplaying him because he’s brave. He’ll carry into forwards and at some point he’s just going to get hurt, just by the weight and the number of collisions. It’s up to me to look after him,” Sanderson said.

“If we look after him, and this is England as well, he’s got a very long, bright future ahead of him.”