Newcastle Falcons are preparing for their final pre-season fixture with a six-day training camp in France.

Falcons play Racing Metro 92 at the Stade Lille Metropole on Sunday.

The 44-man tour party will have a week of intensive training with the new Guinness Premiership season less than three weeks away.

Director of rugby Steve Bates said: "This is a valuable part of our pre-season preparation, and will focus the minds ahead of the first game."

He added: "Spending a week away with team-mates and getting real quality time on the training ground ahead of what will be a very tough game is just what we are looking for.

"Racing Metro has a host of top international players among its squad, led by an outstanding coach in Pierre Berbizier, and they will provide a very tough test for us in what is our last pre-season outing."

The bulk of the squad's training work will be done at the state-of-the-art facility at Enettieres-En-Weppes, while Falcons coaches and players will also visit their hosts at Lille Rugby Club, to pass on their expertise to the ambitious side.

Friday sees the touring Newcastle team as the guests of honour at a Civic reception hosted by the Lille city authority, with star players also coaching local children at the LMR junior rugby school.

Sunday's match kicks off at 1500 BST, with the Falcons facing a star-studded opponent coached by French legend Pierre Berbizier.

Among the Racing Metro group will be All Blacks fly half Andrew Mehrtens, Italy front rowers Andrea Lo Cicero and Carlo Festuccia, Crusaders number eight Johnny Leo'o, France centre Ludovic Valbon, international scrum-half Jerome Fillol, Scotland prop Craig Smith and Fiji wing Sireli Bobo.