STEVE Bates has tipped new boys Tom Biggs and Rob Vickerman to be the new Tom May and Jamie Noon.

As a glut of decade-strong legends leave Kingston Park, Falcons rugby director Bates believes Leeds signing pair Biggs and Vickerman can forge formidable Newcastle Falcons careers.

May and Noon are Channel-hopping with the best of them this summer, the former to join Jonny Wilkinson at Toulon, the latter to Brive.

The cross-Channel drain has left a lot of English clubs clutching at monetary straws this close season, with the Falcons certainly no exception.

But while 19 players have left for one reason or another, Bates has redressed the balance as far as budget allows, bringing in eight new faces thus far while hoping to finalise the deal for Springbok centre Gcobani Bobo.

Leeds-leaving duo Biggs and Vickerman have enjoyed fruitful campaigns with England Sevens while also helping Carnegie back to the Guinness Premiership, and now Bates has backed them to win over the Falcons’ fans with consistently strong performances.

“They are the future of this club,” said Bates.

“They have a good level of experience behind them, they are ambitious and they are keen to come to the club and make a big impact.

“Obviously a lot of people are leaving but this is the start of a new era, the squad is changing quite considerably. But that’s sport, that’s what happens and things always change.

“When guys like Tom May and Jamie Noon came to the club, they were young, raw and talented with points to prove and that’s what we have here with these two new signings.

“Granted they are a bit older but we needed that, because we need players who can slot straight in and I have a lot of faith in both of them. So they can be the new May and Noon, if you like, because they are similar players, have similar desire and will ensconce themselves in the Newcastle Falcons ethos just like those two did when they joined right from the start.

“Of course, people are going to be disappointed that players who have been with us from the beginning are leaving – we are sad in some respects to see them go.

“But how much better that they leave at the top, end on a high and playing well, and with the chance for a fantastic experience before the end of their career.

“As I keep on saying, after a decade of impeccable service for this club there was just no way in the world we could stand in their way and then look them in the eye.”

While England Saxons cap Biggs’ capture might hold the bigger kudos in the wider rugby public, after both Leicester and Wasps were chasing his signature when Leeds were relegated a year ago, Bates believes Vickerman might just surprise a few people.

Tipping the combative centre to surpass outside expectations, Bates tipped the pair to make an equally impressive impact.

“Tom has an obvious profile behind him from the Saxons and the England Sevens,” said Bates.

“But I would guess not as many people will be immediately aware of Rob’s qualities.

“But we think very highly of Rob and we expect him to make a very telling impact, once he gets settled and things calm down after all the changes.

“He is a very talented centre who can make a big contribution, and we have high hopes for the pair of them.”