Falcons' Arnold faces months out with knee injury

Newcastle Falcons centre Sammy Arnold faces up to six months out after suffering a tear to the medial ligament in his knee.

Arnold picked up the injury in the last seconds of Newcastle's win over Saracens when he was hit from the side by Hugh Tizard, for which the lock was red-carded.

"It was completely unwarranted," said Falcons consultant director of rugby Steve Diamond.

"I don't think it was intentional, but reckless definitely and Sammy's looking at four, five, six months out."

In another blow for Newcastle, Diamond also revealed Argentina forward Pedro Rubiolo, who is joining Bristol next summer, will be sidelined for between three and five months after breaking his foot in training.

Arnold has been one of Newcastle's stand-out performers this season since the Irishman arrived from French second-tier side Brive in the summer.

While understanding that injuries are part of the game, Diamond is unhappy at the manner in which Arnold has been ruled out of his plans.

"The game is hard enough as it is without doing things like that," he said.

"The young lad was frustrated, they're losing a game they're not expecting to lose and in the 80th minute, he's seen an easy target and effectively smashed his (Arnold's) knee.

"It looks dreadful on the video. There was everything wrong about it, coming in from the side, targeting the knee. It's frustrating."