Newcastle have announced the signing of England sevens player Marcus Watson. The 23-year-old wing, who has had a full-time sevens contract since 2012, will move to Kingston Park for next season.

Watson, the older brother of the Bath and England outside back Anthony Watson, has played in 26 world series sevens tournaments, scoring 49 tries. He was also a member of England’s Commonwealth Games squad last year.

In XVs, Watson won England Under-18 and Under-20 representative honours, while he also made two Premiership appearances for London Irish.

The Falcons director of rugby, Dean Richards, said: “Marcus is a very talented player who has shown and developed a vast array of skills in his time on the sevens circuit, and I am looking forward to seeing him translate those to the full 15-a-side game.

“He has shown a real desire to make an impression in XVs, and it has impressed me that he has chosen to come to us and seize the opportunity when the Olympics in Rio are only 18 months away. It is that sort of attitude that has brought him to our attention.”

The England sevens head coach, Simon Amor, added: “Marcus has developed extremely well in the England Sevens programme, and we wish him every success at Newcastle. The door is open for him to return, but we’re hopeful that he can continue to progress and push for higher honours in the 15-a-side game.”