🔗 Share this article

Northampton may not be the most glamorous destination in the world, but its rugby union team delivers a great deal of thrills and drama.

In a town renowned for boot‑making, you might expect punting to be the Northampton's modus operandi. However under the director of rugby Phil Dowson, the side in the club's hues choose to retain possession.

Although representing a distinctly UK community, they exhibit a panache typical of the best Gallic masters of champagne rugby.

From the time Dowson and his colleague Sam Vesty took over in 2022, the Saints have secured the English top flight and gone deep in the continental tournament – beaten by Bordeaux-Bègles in last season’s final and eliminated by the Irish province in a semi-final previously.

They lead the Prem table after multiple successes and a single stalemate and travel to Bristol on the weekend as the only unbeaten side, seeking a first win at Ashton Gate since 2021.

It would be typical to think Dowson, who featured in 262 elite games for multiple clubs combined, always planned to be a trainer.

“As a professional, I never seriously considered it,” he remarks. “Yet as you mature, you understand how much you appreciate the rugby, and what the everyday life looks like. I spent some time at a banking firm doing work experience. You travel to work a several occasions, and it was challenging – you realise what you do and don’t have.”

Conversations with former mentors resulted in a role at Northampton. Jump ahead eight years and Dowson manages a roster ever more crammed with national team players: prominent figures lined up for the Red Rose versus the the Kiwis two weeks ago.

The young flanker also had a profound impact as a substitute in the national team's perfect autumn while the fly-half, in time, will inherit the fly-half role.

Is the emergence of this exceptional cohort due to the club's environment, or is it luck?

“It is a mix of each,” comments Dowson. “I’d credit the former director of rugby, who thrust them into action, and we had challenging moments. But the exposure they had as a unit is definitely one of the factors they are so tight and so talented.”

Dowson also namechecks Jim Mallinder, an earlier coach at their stadium, as a key figure. “I’ve been fortunate to be guided by highly engaging individuals,” he adds. “Mallinder had a big impact on my professional journey, my management style, how I manage others.”

The team demonstrate entertaining the game, which proved literally true in the instance of Anthony Belleau. The import was involved with the Clermont XV beaten in the continental tournament in April when the winger registered a hat-trick. The player was impressed enough to reverse the trend of UK players heading across the Channel.

“A friend called me and remarked: ‘We've found a fly-half from France who’s looking for a side,’” Dowson explains. “My response was: ‘We don’t have funds for a imported playmaker. Thomas Ramos will have to wait.’

‘He’s looking for a fresh start, for the chance to prove his worth,’ my mate told me. That interested me. We met with him and his English was excellent, he was eloquent, he had a sense of humour.

“We questioned: ‘What are your goals from this?’ He said to be guided, to be challenged, to be outside his comfort zone and away from the French league. I was saying: ‘Join us, you’re a great person.’ And he proved to be. We’re blessed to have him.”

Dowson states the 20-year-old the flanker provides a unique energy. Does he know a player like him? “Not really,” Dowson replies. “All players are individual but Pollock is unusual and remarkable in multiple respects. He’s not afraid to be himself.”

The player's sensational try against Leinster last season illustrated his unusual ability, but various his expressive in-game behavior have resulted in allegations of cockiness.

“On occasion appears arrogant in his actions, but he’s not,” Dowson asserts. “And he's not joking around the whole time. Tactically he has ideas – he’s no fool. I believe sometimes it’s shown that he’s just this idiot. But he’s intelligent and great to have to have around.”

Not many coaches would describe themselves as enjoying a tight friendship with a assistant, but that is how Dowson frames his relationship with Sam Vesty.

“We both share an inquisitiveness about various topics,” he notes. “We have a reading group. He desires to explore all aspects, aims to learn everything, wants to experience varied activities, and I feel like I’m the alike.

“We talk about many topics outside the game: movies, literature, concepts, art. When we met our French rivals previously, the cathedral was being done up, so we had a little wander around.”

One more match in Gall is approaching: Northampton’s reacquaintance with the English competition will be temporary because the European tournament intervenes next week. Pau, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, are up first on the coming weekend before the Pretoria-based club travel to soon after.

“I’m not going to be overconfident sufficiently to {