20 Questions: Josh Furno – Newcastle flanker

Born in Australia, but raised in Italy?
That’s right, born in St Kilda, Melbourne. But my dad’s a doctor and is half-Italian so work took him to Italy when I was six.
How did you get into rugby?
My dad and cousins played rugby so I started with Benevento, a small club in southern Italy, before working my way through Viadana to Aironi and then to France with Narbonne and Biarritz.
Must have been hard at Aironi?
The first year was tough but after that we got a few results. It was a good, young team but the Celtic League is hard and they folded.
Did you have any rugby heroes?
Yes, the great Australian lock, John Eales. I like old school players like him and he played in my position, so he was always one of my heroes.
Swapped Biarritz for Newcastle – are you mad?
(Laughs) It’s different weather and lifestyle from the south of France but I’ve played rugby in Ireland and Scotland so I know what’s coming.
Always played at lock?
I did until four years ago when I got switched to the back row. I played at No.6 for Biarritz last season. It’s good to be able to play both positions.
What went wrong at Biarritz?
The club had been going downhill for a while since being one of the top sides in France. We had good players but got a lot of early injuries and the Top 14 is very tough. Once we were at the bottom it was hard to get out.
Like Newcastle’s new plastic pitch?
It’s a good thing, especially up here where the weather can be bad in winter. I think it will improve the rugby a lot.
Play any other sports as a kid?
I wasn’t into football, rugby was always No.1, but I enjoyed basketball and surfing. I was pretty good at basketball, but not enough to turn pro.
Enjoy watching sports on TV?
I like all rugby and enjoy a bit of League, along with AFL and golf. My AFL team is St Kilda but they’ve just finished bottom this year!
Been back to Australia recently?
Yes. We toured the Pacific Islands with Italy this summer so I had a chance to spend a week in Oz to see family.
If you could be another sportsman?
LeBron James. I love my NBA and he’s pretty special. His money isn’t bad, either!
How do you like to chill-out?
It’s good being in Newcastle because I like to get close to the ocean. Even if it’s cold I’ll try to do some surfing.
Enjoy music?
Love my music. Enjoy old style rock and reggae, plus I play the guitar. I learnt when I was young so I’ll treat the guys to a bit on our away trips!
How about travelling?
Love that, too. Rugby gives you the opportunity to see great places and going to Fiji and Samoa with Italy this summer was pretty special.
Italy’s results haven’t been great?
No. We had a good Six Nations two years ago and beat France and Ireland, but we’ve been changing the team a bit since then.
Can you fix it for the World Cup?
Definitely. Rugby’s still growing in Italy and there are lots of skilful young players coming through, so I believe we will be competitive.
Your ambitions at Newcastle?
We want to improve on what the club did last year. The team looks pretty good to me and we’ve got ten new signings, so the club really wants to progress.
Can you stay off the bottom?
Definitely. I think we can do good things. We’ve got good players and everyone’s motivated. The first six weeks will be very important, though.
First impression of Dean Richards?
A good man. He’s been in the business a long time and knows what he’s doing. You can talk to him and he’s always involved.