'The feeling I've craved for 18 months' - dream return for former Saints centre Burrell

The 32-year-old started for Newcastle Falcons as the newly-promoted side claimed a hugely impressive opening-day win at Bath on Saturday.

The Falcons were 19-12 winners at The Rec as they banished fears that they would not be ready for action, having not played a competitive fixture since March.

Burrell was in the thick of the action, playing in the Premiership for the first time since leaving Saints for rugby league outfit Warrington Wolves in the summer of 2019.

And after the game, the former England ace, who was a key man in Saints' sensational 2013/14 double-winning season, wrote on Twitter: "That’s the feeling I’ve craved for 18months!! @FalconsRugby great effort and proud to make my premiership debut for this club!!"

It wasn't such a good day for another former Saint, Jamie Gibson.

The flanker, who left Northampton during the close season, came off the bench in his new side Gloucester's 38-15 loss at another of his former clubs, Leicester Tigers.