News

Gopperth loving life in Newcastle

July 14 2009

Newcastle new-boy Jimmy Gopperth insists he is primed for the challenge of propelling the Falcons up the Guinness Premiership table this term.

The Junior All Black fly-half has been getting stuck into pre-season with his new team-mates of late, having starred for the Blues in the 2009 Super 14.

"I was pretty impressed when I jumped off the plane straight in to 26 degree heat, especially after all the scare stories I'd been told about the weather up here," jokes the 26-year-old, whose prolific goal-kicking saw him burst on to the scene in his homeland of Wellington.

"Everyone's been friendly and very accommodating to myself and my family so far, and we've been made to feel really welcome."

With a number of Europe's big hitters pursuing the stand-off over the summer, he admitted he was pleased to finalise his three-year deal at Kingston Park.

"My coach at the Blues, Pat Lam, had been a player with the Falcons a few years ago, so I had some long chats with him about life in Newcastle and what he knew about the club," he said.

"He really filled me in about the culture and the mentality up here, and then having guys like Carl Hayman and Tane Tu'ipulotu, who I already knew from back home, was a big bonus. I talked at length with them about the ambition at the club and that sort of thing, which is obviously important when you're making such a major decision."

Revealing an unexpected benefit of life in the North-East, he added that the weather is perfect for one of his other hobbies.

"The surf here is fantastic!" he said.

"I didn't realise this was such a great area for surfing, so myself and a few of the Falcons boys have been catching some waves over at Tynemouth quite regularly. It's good to have that sort of an outlet away from rugby to keep things balanced up, so it's all worked out well.

"My wife and our baby daughter have come over together with me, so at the moment it's just a case of getting everyone settled and happy in the region.

"The little one is just eleven months at the moment, so she's starting to get her bearings and it's great to have the family here to share this experience."

With inevitable media focus set to reference his predecessor in the Newcastle number ten shirt as the season draws nearer, Gopperth insists he is entirely his own man and will approach games the way he always has.

"I appreciate people are probably going to make that comparison, but it's not something I'm at all concerned about," he said.

"We're two different people, two different players and I'm not coming here with the mindset that I'm replacing anyone. I'm here to be a part of this Newcastle Falcons team in my own right, to be the link man and get the boys going around the park.

"The signs so far are very good I think for this season. Everyone is really excited by our chances and the pre-season is going really well, so it's just a case of keeping up the hard work and letting our rugby do the talking.

"Our conditioner, Andy Smith, has some great philosophies about how we train, the boys are working hard and everyone is pulling together."