Aviva Premiership
Gopperth likely to stay with Newcastle
ESPNscrum Staff
January 5, 2012
Newcastle fly-half Jimmy Gopperth breaks clear, Newcastle Falcons v Cardiff Blues, Anglo-Welsh Cup, Kingston Park, Newcastle, England, October 15, 2011
Jimmy Gopperth appears certain to stick by Newcastle © Getty Images
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Fly-half Jimmy Gopperth is expected to sign a new deal with Aviva Premiership strugglers the Newcastle Falcons.

Gopperth has been in contract negotiations with the club, and Newcastle coach Alan Tait says he expects the 28-year-old to stay on for another season. The former Hurricanes man is understood to be keen on remaining in Newcastle regardless of whether the club is relegated at the end of this campaign.

"Jimmy has stated his intention to us that he wants to stay here beyond the end of this season, and we have already had talks with him and his agent," Tait told The Journal. "He said that he wants to do his utmost to keep up in the Premiership, and to re-sign to stay up here.

"We are very keen for him to stay and he seems to feel the same way. That to us is massive, but it is not totally surprising because the players can see what is going on at the club right now."

Newcastle's owner Semore Kurdi is believed to have been making improvements to facilities and resources behind the scenes, and Tait said that will have a bigger impact on the club's ability to sign players than their current league position.

"He has put in a new medical facility among a load of other things, and the players are not daft. They can see the way we are building, even considering our league position, and they all just want the results to pull us up," Tait said.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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