Dewsbury-born Lockwood features in Falcons spotlight

Dewsbury-born rugby union player Sam Lockwood is making big strides with Newcastle Falcons having helped the club reach last season's European Challenge Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-finals.
Dewsbury-born Sam Lockwood, pictured during hjis time playing for Leeds Carnegie, helped Newcastle Falcons to their highest league finish in 20 years last season.Dewsbury-born Sam Lockwood, pictured during hjis time playing for Leeds Carnegie, helped Newcastle Falcons to their highest league finish in 20 years last season.
Dewsbury-born Sam Lockwood, pictured during hjis time playing for Leeds Carnegie, helped Newcastle Falcons to their highest league finish in 20 years last season.

The 30-year-old was born in Dewsbury but moved to Middlesbrough when he was a toddler, although he maintains family connections with the town. He joined Newcastle Falcons in the summer of 2016 having spent three years playing for Jersey, where he was named in the 2015-16 RFU Championship Dream Team for the second season running.

Lockwood came through as a professional with Yorkshire Carnegie, having gained an England Students cap while at Leeds Met University.

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Lockwood’s debut season at Newcastle was cut short by a serious Achilles injury but he returned to fitness during the 2017-18 season when he became a mainstay on the loose-head side of the Falcons scrum.

He made 13 Premiership appearances last season and also featured in the club’s surge towards the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup and Anglo-Welsh Cup.

Lockwood’s rugby career had begun at the age of 13 when he moved to Sudbury, where he played for Ipswich Colts and School.

Having returned to Yorkshire at the age of 18, Lockwood was spotted playing for Leeds University by Leeds Carnegie coaches.

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He spent two years at Carnegie but niggling injuries prevented him from showing his true ability and potential.

Lockwood then joined Jersey RUFC, where his Grandma was raised during the war, and having impressed enough to make the Championship Dream Team two years running, he was snapped up by Newcastle.

The Achilles injury, which cut short Lockwood’s debut season with the Falcons, kept him sidelined for 361 days.

On his return from injury Lockwood established himself as first choice front row and helped Newcastle to their highest league finish for 20 years.

Just before signing for Leeds Carnegie, Lockwood had a trial at Featherstone Rovers RLFC who offered him a contract but he opted to stay in union and is a leading light with Newcastle.