Matt Thompson

A former pupil of the Royal Grammar School in the Newcastle, and having come through the Falcons Academy, Matt made his first team debut in January 2002, coming on as a replacement in the Heineken Cup tie against Newport Gwent Dragons. His first start came the next month in the league game away at Bristol and although the Falcons fielded five different hookers that season, Matt did enough to be one of the three kept on for 2002-03, along with Nick Makin and Steve Brotherstone (Christian Balshen and Mike Howe falling by the wayside). A Falcons-career-ending injury to Brotherstone in November 2002 removed one obstacle to Matt’s bid for first team rugby, as did another career-ending injury to new Kiwi signing James Christian, but the good form of Nick Makin in 2003 restricted Matt to just two starts in 2002-03, at Bristol and Saracens in November of 2002.

2003-04 went much better for Thumper Junior, as he made 14 starts and also scored his first try for the Falcons in the 66-27 home demolition of VRAC Valladolid, and although Makin started the Powergen Cup Final in April 2004, Matt did come on in the second half. The last two seasons have seen Matt and ex-England player Andy Long sharing the hooker’s berth and this is likely to continue this season. He has now notched-up 93 first team appearances, including 39 starts.

As a youngster and the owner’s son, no player has to work harder to prove himself to team-mates and fans than Matt. He will always be remembered for getting injured in the Powergen Cup Quarter-final against London Irish at Kingston Park in February 2004, and being carried off only to be sat on a mound of snow. This summer (2006) he attended the International Rugby Academy of New Zealand, returning in time for the new Premiership campaign.

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