SINOTI SINOTI will take on Harlequins with an extra spring in his step tomorrow afternoon, having agreed a contract extension that will keep him on Tyneside beyond the end of the season.

The 32-year-old winger has become a cult hero at Kingston Park thanks to his tackle-busting prowess, with his 62 appearances in a Falcons shirt having helped establish him as one of the leading try threats in the Aviva Premiership.

He has scored three tries in his nine Premiership appearances this season, and with his fellow Pacific Islander Vereniki Goneva also having recently penned a new deal, Falcons’ wing wizards are committed for the long term.

“I’m pleased to have got it sorted and that I’ll be staying with the club,” said Sinoti, who played with Toulon, Aironi and Wellington prior to moving to Falcons. “It wasn’t a decision I took lightly, I spent a lot of time speaking to my wife first and foremost, and my dad back in New Zealand, but staying just felt like the right thing to do.

“We absolutely love living in Newcastle, we’ve been here almost five years now and the area and people are just amazing. It’s an easy city to get around, everything is on your doorstep and the Falcons as a club have been great to me. I just couldn’t see myself anywhere else, and from the moment I first landed in Newcastle I genuinely loved the place.

“We’re not the biggest club but there’s a real family feel. We could do with a bit of hot weather, but it’s all good, and I’m fluent in Geordie now as well.”

Sinoti’s experience has proved a major asset in the last few seasons, but the Samoa international accepts he will face a fight to hold on to his place in the first team in the next 18 months.

“The competition here on the wings is incredible when you consider the likes of Niki Goneva, Alex Tait, DTH van der Merwe, Adam Radwan, Zach Kibirige, Beli Agulla and all the young guys pushing through,” he said. “It’s pushing all of us.

“Every one of those guys offers something different and we know that if one of us goes down there’s top quality to step in. Competition is high, and myself and Niki are old so we’re just holding on!”

Falcons welcome back skipper Will Welch for tomorrow’s trip to the Twickenham Stoop, with the flanker having been passed fit following a head injury. Mark Wilson has recovered from a back problem, while full-back Simon Hammersley is preferred to Alex Tait.

Scott Lawson is missing as he represents Scotland in the Calcutta Cup, but Harlequins are even more seriously affected by international call-ups.

“Quins have missed a few key players, and guys like Danny Care and Chris Robshaw would be missed by any side,” said Newcastle director of rugby Dean Richards. “Those guys make them click on a regular basis, but they’re still a force to be reckoned with and they’ll be a difficult nut to crack.

“Even with key personnel away, Quins still have the same DNA running through their side, but they’re without a couple of those proven game-changers.

“From our own end, if we’re going to make the top four, we realistically need to win five out of the remaining seven, and the challenge is there for us. On top of that, we have a European quarter-final and an Anglo-Welsh semi-final, so there’s a lot going on and we need to be competitive in all areas.”