Taking Newcastle To Top Would Match All Blacks Cap - Christie

Tom Christie says powering Newcastle Red Bulls into a glorious caller era would beryllium afloat compensation for missing retired connected an All Blacks call-up.

The 27-year-old flanker will make his debut for Newcastle against Leicester astatine Kingston Park connected Friday nighttime and is arguably nan astir important signing since nan power portion elephantine took complete nan nine successful August.

Christie scored a effort successful New Zealand's World Under-20 Championship last win complete England successful 2017, earlier captaining nan Baby Blacks successful their title defence a twelvemonth later.

Despite ne'er managing to travel erstwhile age-grade team-mates Tom Jordan, Caleb Clarke and Dalton Papali'i into nan All Blacks, Christie has been 1 of Super Rugby's astir reliable and respected performers, winning 3 titles pinch Canterbury-based Crusaders and featuring for New Zealand's second-string side.

New Zealand's argumentation of not selecting overseas-based players intends he is ineligible while playing successful nan northbound east.

"When I look backmost and bespeak connected that first half of my profession backmost successful New Zealand I americium really proud of what we did achieve, albeit falling short of nan achromatic jersey," Christie told BBC Look North.

"But now we're here, we're coming pinch this and fresh to rip successful and move this nine around.

"I deliberation that will beryllium arsenic as rewarding if we can, on pinch nan different guys here, get this nine into nan apical of nan Prem aliases winning nan Prem and past nan aforesaid successful Europe.

"That's going to beryllium highly satisfying arsenic well."

Newcastle's past top-flight triumph - a 17-12 triumph complete Saracens - was almost precisely a twelvemonth ago.

They are bottommost of nan Prem table aft 5 games, and person vanished nan past 3 campaigns successful nan aforesaid position.

Christie said that reversing that rotten tally of results is his and nan club's sole focus.

"Simply, winning," he said erstwhile asked what nan early holds.

"Red Bull has travel connected committee and that's wherever they spot this nine going and I'm aligned pinch that.

"They're going to put nan resources successful place, make judge nan team's competitive.

"The results haven't been going our way, but there's a existent mindset for maturation and existent determination to get better. We'll put immoderate finishing touches successful and turn week by week and nan extremity merchandise will beryllium winning games."

Christie topped Super Rugby's tackle count successful 2022 and 2023 and has vanished successful nan apical 10 successful nan 2 astir caller seasons. He is besides a turnover threat astatine nan breakdown.

"I'm nan benignant of bloke that is itching to get retired there, truthful I'm excited," he added.

As good arsenic Christie, Red Bull person bankrolled nan signing of erstwhile British and Irish Lions Liam Williams and Christian Wade, Japan backmost statement Amanaki Mafi and Argentina scrum-half Simon Benitez Cruz, among others.

However, Steve Diamond, nan head of rugby who signed Christie, was removed from his station aft conscionable 1 Prem crippled of nan season. Head coach Alan Dickens now reports into caller wide head Neil McIlroy, pinch Scotland caput coach Gregor Townsend moving successful an advisory role.

"I deliberation we conscionable took it successful our stride," Christie said of nan change.

"Talking to nan lads, Steve was a great, awesome man and what he did for this nine was great.

"But equally, Red Bull's imagination for nan early and they're getting guys successful spot that they deliberation aligns pinch their imagination and really they're going to return them forward.

"Those decisions are not thing for maine to remark on, but I'm conscionable assured pinch what we've sewage present now and it's going to return america to wherever we request to go."