Max Pepper to join Bristol Bears at end of season

Newcastle Falcons have confirmed that winger Max Pepper will leave the club at the end of the season to join Bristol Bears.

The 23-year-old has been a promising talent for the Falcons, scoring four tries in 13 appearances since breaking into the senior squad.

Pepper’s departure comes as Newcastle undergoes contract negotiations with several players, aiming to retain the core of their squad for the upcoming season. While the club had offered him a new deal, the winger has opted for a new challenge with Bristol.

Newcastle’s Director of Rugby, Steve Diamond, acknowledged the move but expressed frustration at losing a player they had invested in developing.

“We’re in talks with a lot of our lads at the moment, and most of them have agreed to stay.

"We’re disappointed that Max has chosen to go to Bristol because we’ve given him a lot of opportunities here, but he must think he’s better off going elsewhere. We made him an offer and he’s gone to another club.”

Despite Pepper’s departure, Diamond remains optimistic about the squad’s future.

“The bulk of the lads are in the process of agreeing to stay. We’re working on getting those finalised, and we’ll have a highly competitive squad for next season.”

Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam is excited by Pepper's arrival.

“Max is a talented young player, comfortable at scrum half and on the wing, who certainly fits the way we like to play. With us continuing to run a smaller squad next season, it’s great to have a few players who are versatile to play in multiple positions.

“Like our captain Fitz Harding, he’s another player to progress through the BUCS Super Rugby pathway with Durham University and he is hungry to continue his learning and growth with the Bears from the start of next season. We look forward to welcoming him into our environment.”