Newcastle Red Bulls tie down rising lock Oscar Usher on three-year deal
Newcastle Red Bulls have handed 22-year-old lock Oscar Usher a new three-year contract, keeping the Durham-born forward at the club through to 2029.
For a player who only recently completed his first full season as a professional, the length of the deal tells its own story. Usher arrived on a short-term arrangement, impressed quickly, and earned a permanent contract — then went on to be named the club's Young Player of the Year for the 2025-26 campaign, according to the club's official site. His form also drew wider recognition: he was nominated for the RPA's 15 Under 23 MVP award for December, a monthly accolade run by the Rugby Players' Association spotlighting the brightest young talent across the Premiership.
Head coach Dan McFarland was fulsome in his praise, highlighting Usher's work ethic and desire to improve. Those qualities matter particularly in the second row, where a lock's job is less glamorous than a fly-half's but just as demanding — the set-piece scrum, the lineout (the throw-in restart after the ball goes out of play), and the relentless graft at the breakdown, where the ruck (the contest for the ball on the ground after a tackle) is won or lost.
The deal carries a local angle that supporters will appreciate. Usher is a Durham native, growing up in the heart of the north-east's rugby community. The club's social media channels celebrated the news with a "homegrown and here to stay" message — a nod to a player who has come through the regional pathway rather than arriving from afar.
There have been bumps along the way. In a February defeat to Harlequins, Newcastle lost 35-14 and Usher was penalised for a double movement — when a player carries the ball over the try line but is held up, then propels forward again to ground it, which is illegal. Team-mate Spencer was also sin-binned in that match for tackling a man in the air, a dangerous act that rugby's laws punish firmly. Newcastle's season had its rough patches, but Usher's individual trajectory has been firmly upward.
What stands out here is the rate of progression. A short-term trial, a permanent deal, a young player award, and a three-year extension — all in roughly the space of a single full season. For Newcastle, keeping a homegrown second row with that trajectory is straightforward good business. For Usher, it is security and a clear platform to push for regular starting honours. The 2026-27 season will tell whether he can build on a breakthrough year.
