“Radders is the fastest man I’ve ever seen on a rugby pitch. It’s like watching Sonic, it’s ridiculous”.
Adam Radwan has Saracens on high alert as he returns to London for the first time since lighting up Twickenham on his England debut.
Three months after scoring a hat-trick of tries against Canada he has turned his attention to completing a memorable sporting week for Newcastle.
“Radders is the fastest man I’ve ever seen on a rugby pitch,” fellow Falcons wing Nathan Earle declared. “It’s like watching Sonic, it’s ridiculous.
“You watch him and you think ‘what the hell? What is going on?’ Honestly, I’ve never seen anything like it. I don’t think even he understands how quick he is.”
Mike Brown, England’s most-capped fullback, makes his competitive debut for Newcastle in a fixture Saracens have owned since the Falcons’ last win in 2009.
With Earle and Radwan on the wings, Sarries have their work cut out if they are to make it 19 straight Premiership wins.
“Believe me, we won’t be underestimating them at all,” said wing Alex Lewington. “We know they’ll be coming at us from different angles than maybe they have in the past.”
Radwan, 23, served notice of what Saracens can expect when beating five defenders with pace and footwork to set up a brilliant try against champions Harlequins.
The hope across Toon is that x-factor will soon also be on show at St James’ Park, following United’s Saudi takeover. For the time being Falcons hold the monopoly on such stardust.
Radwan, the son of an Egyptian dad and English mum, has come on in leaps and bounds since his debut, coincidentally at Saracens, as an 18-year old. He has 38 tries in 49 games.
“He’s some talent,” Lewington nodded. “Definitely one that’s going to feature for England in the next few years if he keeps going the way he is.
“He’s fantastic in attack, get’s people off their seats. We’ll obviously be keeping an eye on him.”
Saracens would also do well to keep tabs on their former player Earle, who is out for bragging rights over closest friend Maro Itoje.
Itoje, yet to play following the Lions tour, will be Best Man when Earle marries finance Sophie next summer - only he can’t yet say when he’ll be free.
“We’ve planned the wedding for whenever the England tour isn’t!” Earle laughed. “Irritatingly my best mate is one of the best players in the world, so for him to make it I have to work around him a bit.”
England are due in Australia next summer and Earle, himself, has not given up hope of making the trip.
“I still have those aspirations,” said a player who was in Eddie Jones’ squad when he tore his ACL knee ligament in 2019.
“If I stay positive who knows, Eddie might see something he likes and I might get another opportunity.”