NEWCASTLE Falcons yesterday signed New Zealand-born open side flanker Cory Harris, who qualifies for Wales this month under a three-year residency ruling.

He spent last season with Celtic Warriors, who are now disbanded, and has recently been back with his previous club, Bridgend.

Aged 29, Harris is EU-qualified as his wife is English and Newcastle decided to sign him as they are short of open sides following Warren Britz's return to Natal Sharks and the long-term injury to Scotland international Andrew Mower.

Director of Rugby Rob Andrew said: "We began the season with two international No 7s but they have not been available to us. Ed Williamson has come through the academy and done very well, but none of our other back row men are out-and-out open sides. Cory is and we feel he can do a job for us.

"The balance in the back row hasn't been altogether right and we just felt we needed more strength there."

Harris, who concentrated on volleyball until he was 17, knows Falcons cehor e together with the Canterbury Development squad.

"I have spoken to Mark and the message is that Newcastle is an exciting place to be and it's an ambitious club," he said.

"I was really into volleyball but my dad was a good rugby player and I decided I liked the physical side of it. I like to get stuck in and put myself about."

As the deadline for registering players for the Heineken Cup has passed, Harris will not be able to play in the Falcons' opener away to Newport Gwent Dragons on Saturday.

Apart from the back row problem, they could face a selection dilemma in the backs as Tom May and Jamie Noon should be fit to return.

May was last season's top try scorer and has been going well this season, but he can only get back in at the expense of Mathew Tait.

The 18-year-old winger was outstanding in Sunday's draw with Saracens, although he modestly described his performance as "all right."

"I probably tried to kick the ball a bit too much, but I was conscious of the fact that they didn't have a full back in behind," he said.

"The first half was disappointing, but in the second half we created chances and in the end we felt pretty unlucky not to have come away with a win."

Tait has scored one try in each of Newcastle's last two home games and could easily have had two in both.

Against Leicester he was denied by Epi Taoine not giving him what would have been a certain scoring pass, and against Saracens referee Tony Spreadbury controversially ruled that he had not grounded the ball properly.

As a member of the England Sevens squad, Tait has trained with the full squad recently and said: "It's quite weird training with guys I have been watching for five or six years who are my heroes. But I have enjoyed it - apart from the fitness testing!"

l England head coach Andy Robinson was yesterday handed some depressing news on the injury front with Steve Thompson a major doubt for next month's Test against Canada and Ollie Smith unavailable for all three Autumn internationals.

Thompson sustained damage to his ribs during Northampton's defeat by Sale on Saturday and further medical checks revealed he needs at least two weeks to recover.

Canada arrive at Twickenham on November 13 and the match could arrive too soon for Thompson, who was certain to claim the hooking duties.

Even if Thompson's recovery progresses as expected, he will have precious little time to prove his fitness to England boss Andy Robinson who must now be considering the alternatives. Leeds' veteran front rower Mark Regan is the player in possession of the number two jersey after nudging Thompson out of England's starting line-up for two matches during the summer tour Down Under.

The midfield is another problem area and Robinson has seen his options reduced by the news that Smith will be out for a minimum of four weeks after injuring his shoulder during Leicester's triumph at Harlequins on Saturday.