The 23-year-old tight head stands 6 foot 2, weighing in at 18 stone 11, and has two England caps to his name after starting against Wales and Italy in 2003, while he was on the bench against both South Africa and Australia earlier that season.

Falcons director of rugby, Rob Andrew, said: "We had been targeting the front row as an area to strengthen for some time, and Robbie is another quality addition to the talent we already have there.

"By adding him and Tino Paoletti to the squad we now have great competition for places and some much-needed depth at prop, having been forced to ask an awful lot of our players there this season in terms of work load.

"Robbie and Tino’s presence gives us more options in the front row, while Ian Peel, David Wilson and Micky Ward have all signed two-year extensions, and James Isaacson is still under contract for another season."

Born and raised in Hertford, Morris has played a total of 56 Zurich Premiership matches for Northampton, while has appeared 18 times for the Saints this season, including five Heineken Cup outings as his side reached the quarter final stages.

He said after news of his move to Kingston Park: "Newcastle have a great record with young English players, so when I heard they were interested in me I thought it was a great opportunity.

"I came up to the club to speak to Rob Andrew and see the facilities, and the whole place is filled with ambition, so it’s an outstanding place for me to improve my game further and fulfil my hopes of winning silverware.

"This is a new challenge for me, but one I’m really looking forward to. I’m determined to work hard up there and fight for my place with the other good props they have, and I’m just excited about the whole thing."

Morris made his Saints debut as an 18-year-old back in January 2001, by which time he had already picked up a silver medal at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh for the discus.

Before pre-season training starts in July he gets an early chance to link up with new Falcons team mates Micky Ward, Jamie Noon and Mathew Tait at Twickenham on May 28, as England take on a Barbarians squad which also includes Newcastle’s Australian duo Matt Burke and Owen Finegan.

Morris will then go on England’s Churchill Cup tour to Canada, having been drafted in as a late injury replacement for Gloucester’s Phil Vickery

As well as the additions of Morris, Paoletti and Finegan for next season, the Falcons have also announced that Plymouth lock Andy Perry will join the club, as well as Sale Sharks wing/centre James Hoyle and Rotherham wing/fullback Anthony Elliott.