Leatherbarrow moved to Newcastle from Exeter Chiefs in 2023 and was awarded a new two-year contract heading into this season as the squad was rebuilt.
The Macclesfield-born player, who qualifies for Scotland through his grandmother and has already played for them at age-group level, is competing for a spot in a hotly-contested Red Bulls back row.
It also features captain Tom Christie and summer imports from New Zealand in Hoskins Sotutu and Max Hicks, with Leatherbarrow carrying out a specific role off the bench.
He replaced Hicks late on in the Red Bulls’ win over Sale Sharks as they picked up a first Prem victory of the season, but with Newcastle having collected points in all four of their league games, their performances are starting to draw wider attention, according to McFarland.
“I know we’ve had players who have been on the radar of their international teams at the moment,” he said.
“If you’re not playing rugby that’s competitive, these guys don’t get a look-in.
“We’ve got a lot of ambitious young men here who want to play for their countries. It’s a goal for us, and for me personally, that we can support them in that pursuit.”
