Adam Radwan will return to Newcastle this evening for the first time since a significant transformation of his former club, now rebranded as the Red Bulls following a takeover by energy drink company Red Bull.

Radwan, a wing who spent nine years with the Newcastle Falcons, establishing himself as a key player across 128 games and scoring 59 tries, departed in January 2025 to join Leicester Tigers. Since his departure, the club has undergone major changes, including the loss of its Falcons identity and a near-complete overhaul of the squad. Following the Red Bull acquisition later that year, 24 players were released and 25 new signings brought in, among them former All Black back row Hoskins Sotutu, who has since become eligible to play for England, scrum-half Raffi Quirke, and former Scotland centre Chris Harris.

The Premiership match between Leicester Tigers and Red Bulls marks Radwan’s first appearance back in Newcastle since these significant changes. The 28-year-old acknowledges the sense of unfamiliarity he expects to encounter. "I don’t know many people there anymore. There is maybe one coach who was there when I was and there’s two or three players I played with, but they are virtually a different club and they will be a completely different team," Radwan said.

Radwan also highlighted the positive impact of the investment. "Red Bull have come in and it is great for rugby and the league to have that sort of investment," he added. "The club needed investment, it was in a spot where it wasn’t able to grow so it is good they have come in and given them the ability to do that. It is going to be a cool place to go – they will put on a big show. There have been huge changes."

Leicester Tigers, Radwan’s current team, started their Premiership campaign with a 40-38 loss to Saracens and are missing captain Ollie Chessum due to a foot injury. Jack van Poortvliet has assumed the captaincy, with Orlando Bailey returning to the centre position in place of Joe Woodward.

The Red Bulls’ season began with a challenging 59-26 defeat at the hands of Northampton Saints, the reigning champions, although the new squad did secure a bonus point. Head coach Dan McFarland emphasized the team’s determination to improve despite the setback. "We’re competitive, professional people who never want to lose, because losing hurts. But hurt is fuel, and we’re on a journey. It takes time," McFarland said. "The best way to react is to test yourself against another quality team, and we’ll certainly be doing that."

Hoskins Sotutu, who made a brief appearance off the bench against Northampton, is set to make his first start for the Red Bulls in this weekend’s fixture, just weeks ahead of England head coach Steve Borthwick’s anticipated squad announcement.