Newcastle Red Bulls sign 6ft 11in Carmichael and GB Sevens scrum-half Barreto on short-term deals

Newcastle Red Bulls have signed Edinburgh lock Rob Carmichael and Great Britain Sevens scrum-half Kaleem Barreto on short-term deals, head coach Dan McFarland confirmed.

At 2.1m (6ft 11in), Carmichael is believed to be the tallest player currently active in professional rugby — though not the tallest to have represented Newcastle. That distinction belongs to former lock Richard Metcalfe, who had an inch on the Red Bulls’ latest recruit.

The 23-year-old is a Hong Kong native who came through Leicester’s academy and made a handful of appearances for the Tigers before joining Edinburgh, where he has featured three times. Hong Kong have been keen to secure his services at Test level, but Carmichael has so far resisted, reportedly over concerns about losing his EQP eligibility. He is also a former England Under-20 international.

“Rob is a talented prospect who will provide valuable depth for us during a period of the season where we are playing across multiple competitions,” McFarland said.

Barreto, at 1.72m (5ft 8in), offers a sharp contrast in stature. The 27-year-old was born in Portugal and raised in Scotland, representing both Scotland Sevens and Scotland Under-20s. He began his career at Glasgow Warriors before focusing on the shortened format of the game, going on to represent Great Britain at the Sevens level.

His arrival addresses an immediate need at scrum-half following an injury to new signing Raffi Quirke.

“Kaleem is a skilful player who has a good opportunity over the next few weeks, and we look forward to seeing how he goes in our environment,” McFarland added.