Mathew Tait

Not many people had heard of Mathew Tait before May 2004 when Rob Andrew announced the team for the last home game of the season. His name appeared on the player listing with a short introduction from Rob Andrew: "The side includes Mathew Tait who is an 18-year old Barnard Castle school boy who has been monitored and coached by our Academy coaches as well as Steve Black our Fitness and Conditioning Coach. We are delighted that Matt will make his debut for the Falcons this Sunday against London Irish and I am sure that our supporters will be as excited as we are when they see him in action."

His introduction to premiership rugby will remain a topic for discussion for years to come. His first contact with the ball was well inside the Newcastle half from where he ran all the way to the line to put down a most impressive try. It has been called the stuff of fairy tales, and takes some beating as a way of getting yourself noticed.

Despite appearances, he has not quite appeared out of nowhere. He played for England in the IRB Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, and also starred for Barnard Castle School.

The amount of attention that he received in the few months since his remarkable premiership debut indicates a possible star in the making. He was awarded the Young Player of the Year award from the Journal, he was invited to 10 Downing Street, and despite having played only an hour or so of top level rugby, he was included on the England Elite Player Squad at the start of the season.

Expectations are high for his future, comparisons being made with another schoolboy who made an early impression with Newcastle Falcons, Jonny Wilkinson. This will put him under enormous pressure for one so young, a point that is appreciated by Rob Andrew: "We Just need to make sure that he’s developed properly and looked after in the right way - not pushed too quickly too soon. We managed Jonny that way in his first year here, and we’ll do the same with Mathew."

And now the February 2005 update...

Well, it's fair to say that his first season in the Premiership has been an eventful one.  15 appearances in all competitions up to 1st February; 6 tries, with efforts coming in all three main competitions, and a try at Kingston Park against Saracens that ended up winning Sky's try of the month.

Mathew went from the Elite squad to the first two of the tournaments in the IRB Sevens series, and was promptly part of the winning England squad.  The New Year game saw him muscle England captain Jason Robinson out of the way to score a try, and suddenly the noises from the north east and, in particular, this site, that this lad was a little bit special were starting to be heard.  It was, therefore, no surprise that on 31st January, Mathew Tait was named in the England starting XV for the Six Nations game in Cardiff.  18 years, 364 days.  His whole rugby life in front of him.

The world now watches, hoping that the young man can do as a centre what his clubmate Mr Wilkinson has done as a fly-half.

Profile last updated 01/02/2005

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