Newcastle, SoCal and a World Cup- winning dad - the rise of Ethan Grayson

Ethan Grayson is with Newcastle Falcons until the end of 2024 before returning to Major League Rugby

Ethan Grayson may only be 22, but his rugby career is already jam-packed full of experiences.

He grew up in a sports-mad household with a World Cup-winning dad before both he and his older brother, James, decided to copy their old man.

Ethan was forced to leave his hometown team, saw another move collapse as the club folded, before rediscovering his love for union on the other side of the world.

Now his immediate task is helping Premiership strugglers Newcastle Falcons as they prepare to welcome Saracens to Kingston Park on Friday.

The fact that Grayson ended up at the Falcons is a case of being in the right place at the right time.

He had returned from his first season with San Diego Legion in Major League Rugby (MRL) in the US and was doing some coaching at Moulton College in Northampton.

He bumped into his old Saints and England Under-20 coach Alan Dickens and next thing he was signing up on a deal until the end of 2024 to fill a gap in Steve Diamond's squad.

Grayson describes himself as a natural centre, but a few days after his arrival at the club, he was coming on for first-choice fly-half Brett Connon in a Premiership match at Harlequins and it was a case of sink or swim.

"I was still learning everyone's names and all the plays," he told BBC Sport.

"You're essentially the quarter-back, all the play revolves around you.

"If you get stuff wrong, it can have such a bad effect. It was daunting at first but I'm a great believer that things are never as bad as you first think."

Ethan Grayson enjoyed victory over Exeter Chiefs in his third start as Newcastle's fly-half

Despite joining Newcastle in the middle of their Premiership slump, Grayson was taken aback by how welcome the squad had made him feel.

He quickly understood the burden of that winless streak on the club, which had reached 25 games and 581 days, by the time they defeated Exeter Chiefs.

It was a night of joy and relief for all concerned with the north east club, but one of satisfaction as Grayson had a victory under his belt as a starting number 10.

"What a buzz that was," he said.

"I had only been at the club four weeks and it was a relief for me so for the lads who have been here the whole last year and a half, you can only imagine.

"It was awesome. How we played and to do it at Kingston Park where the fans have been so loyal made it even sweeter."

Rugby SoCal style

Grayson's stint with Newcastle is due to end after a game against his boyhood club Northampton Saints at the end of December.

After that, it will be time to pack his bags and head over to America for his second season in San Diego.

He ended up in southern California, having seen a potential move to London Irish in the summer of 2023 collapse when the Exiles went out of business.

Grayson plugged the gap with a short spell at Bedford Blues, but he travelled across the Atlantic early this year leaving behind a sense of disillusionment at how things were going in English rugby.

What he found in America was exactly what he needed - playing in front of average home crowds of more 7,000 as the Legion reached the MRL quarter-finals.

The San Diego team included rugby legends Ma'a Nonu of New Zealand and Australia's Matt Giteau and featured a new type of rugby. The sunshine and outdoor 'SoCal' lifestyle also suited Grayson down to the ground.

"The standard has been way better than I thought," he said.

"You think of the physical specimens and freaks you get in the NFL and the NBA, well it's exactly the same in rugby.

"There are loads of American Polynesians in the league, Kiwis, South Africans. The physicality is not far off the Premiership, whereas skill-wise, it's probably more like the Championship.

"But everyone wants to have a crack. It's a lot looser, which is exactly the type of rugby I enjoy and the quality is getting better all the time.

"Major League rugby is still in its infancy. It's only seven years old whereas the Premiership is nearly 30 years old."

Following in famous footsteps

As Grayson's career has taken in the sunshine of California to, now, cold nights on Tyneside, underpinning and encouraging it all have been parents Paul and Emma.

Ethan was just over 18 months old when his father was part of England's World-Cup winning squad in 2003 as the back-up fly-half to Jonny Wilkinson.

He, older brother James and twin Joel were never forced to copy their father, now a pundit for BBC Radio 5 Live.

Yet both Ethan and James have found their way into union, with James currently playing for Japanese side Mitsubishi Dynaboars.

"My dad was awesome when we were all growing up," he said.

"He was not pushy to get us into rugby and when I was younger I played everything - basketball, cricket, rugby, you name it.

"It's the same, now. If I need something I'll pick up the phone and ring him. I probably speak to him most days and we chat about everything."

Ethan Grayson's dad, Paul, won 32 caps for England between 1995 and 2004

Supportive parents with 'great air miles'

Being able to call on his dad's experience has also been vital in Grayson's spell with Newcastle.

Versatile enough to play fly-half, centre and full-back, Ethan would not describe number 10 as his favourite position, so that's when dad's expertise came in very handy.

"Just after I arrived here, he came up to Newcastle to help me and we worked together on my kicking and punting," he said.

"He's not overbearing and was never trying to force it with me. My relationship with him and my mum is great.

"It's a lot easier for them to come and watch me play here, even if it takes hours driving up the motorway.

"But having been to see me in California, James in Japan and Joel at university in Tanzania in the last year, they've got some great air miles!"