'Great addition': Scotland star to join Newcastle Red Bulls next season - but another faces ban

Millar Mills, 33, currently plays for Northampton Saints, where he won the league title in 2024 and helped reach the Champions Cup final last season.

Capped 11 times by Scotland, Millar Mills qualifies for the country through his Scottish mother. He is a specialist tight head prop who had a brief spell at Edinburgh Rugby in the 2017/18 season and has also featured for Yorkshire Carnegie, Ealing Trailfinders and Wasps.

Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend joined Red Bull on a 30-day consultancy contract and will know what Millar Mills can bring to the table after handing him his international debut last year.

“I’m really excited to be joining Newcastle at such an important time for the club,” Millar Mills told the Newcastle website. “They’re going through a full re-build, and it feels like a great opportunity to be part of something new and ambitious.

“I’ve had a class couple of years at Northampton Saints and I’ve been privileged to play in a lot of big games over the last few seasons. I’m really grateful for that time, and now I’m looking forward to making more great memories at Newcastle and getting to know the new squad up there.”

Prop is ‘hard worker who gets basics’

Newcastle sporting general manager Neil McIlroy said: “Elliot has been going well for Northampton and Scotland over the last couple of seasons, and will help give us that forward foundation.

“He’s a hard worker who gets on with the basics of the game, and I know he’ll be a great addition during a really crucial period for us.”

Meanwhile, a current Scotland internationalist at Newcastle is facing a one-match ban after he was found guilty of striking Gloucester forward Arthur Clark during a recent Gallagher PREM match.

Hodgson will now be unavailable for Saturday’s Challenge Cup clash with Perpignan.