🔗 Share this article

Northampton is hardly the most exotic destination globally, but its rugby union team offers a great deal of excitement and passion.

In a place known for footwear manufacturing, you could anticipate kicking to be the Saints’ modus operandi. However under head coach Phil Dowson, the side in green, black and gold opt to retain possession.

Although embodying a quintessentially English town, they display a flair synonymous with the finest Gallic exponents of champagne rugby.

Since Dowson and the head coach Sam Vesty assumed control in 2022, Northampton have secured the Premiership and gone deep in the Champions Cup – losing to a French side in the previous campaign's decider and eliminated by Leinster in a penultimate round previously.

They sit atop the league standings after a series of victories and one tie and travel to their West Country rivals on the weekend as the sole undefeated team, chasing a first win at Ashton Gate since 2021.

It would be natural to think Dowson, who played 262 premier games for various teams altogether, always planned to be a coach.

“When I played, I never seriously considered it,” he remarks. “However as you get older, you realise how much you appreciate the rugby, and what the real world looks like. I spent some time at a banking firm doing work experience. You make the journey a multiple instances, and it was difficult – you see what you do and don’t have.”

Discussions with former mentors resulted in a role at Northampton. Move forward a decade and Dowson leads a team progressively packed with global stars: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles lined up for the national side versus the New Zealand two weeks ago.

An emerging talent also had a significant influence as a substitute in the national team's successful series while the number ten, down the line, will take over the fly-half role.

Is the development of this remarkable group due to the club's environment, or is it fortune?

“It's a bit of both,” says Dowson. “My thanks go to Chris Boyd, who basically just threw them in, and we had difficult periods. But the practice they had as a unit is certainly one of the factors they are so tight and so talented.”

Dowson also mentions Jim Mallinder, an earlier coach at the club's home, as a significant mentor. “I was lucky to be coached by highly engaging personalities,” he says. “Mallinder had a major effect on my career, my management style, how I deal with people.”

Northampton play attractive the game, which proved literally true in the instance of the French fly-half. The import was involved with the Clermont XV defeated in the Champions Cup in the spring when Tommy Freeman registered a hat-trick. He was impressed sufficiently to reverse the trend of English talent moving to France.

“A friend called me and said: ‘There’s a French 10 who’s looking for a team,’” Dowson says. “My response was: ‘We lack the money for a overseas star. Thomas Ramos will have to wait.’

‘He’s looking for experience, for the possibility to prove his worth,’ my friend told me. That interested me. We met with Anthony and his communication was outstanding, he was articulate, he had a funny side.

“We inquired: ‘What are you seeking from this?’ He said to be guided, to be pushed, to be in a new environment and away from the French league. I was like: ‘Join us, you’re a fantastic individual.’ And he proved to be. We’re lucky to have him.”

Dowson says the emerging Pollock brings a particular energy. Has he encountered anyone similar? “Not really,” Dowson responds. “Each person is unique but Henry is distinct and special in many ways. He’s fearless to be authentic.”

Pollock’s breathtaking touchdown against their opponents last season demonstrated his freakish ability, but various his animated on-field actions have resulted in accusations of overconfidence.

“At times seems arrogant in his conduct, but he’s not,” Dowson asserts. “Furthermore Henry’s not taking the piss all the time. Tactically he has ideas – he’s a smart player. I think on occasion it’s portrayed that he’s merely a joker. But he’s intelligent and good fun to have around.”

Few coaches would admit to enjoying a tight friendship with a head coach, but that is how Dowson describes his connection with his co-coach.

“Sam and I have an interest regarding various topics,” he notes. “We maintain a literary circle. He wants to see everything, aims to learn everything, desires to try varied activities, and I feel like I’m the alike.

“We converse on many topics beyond the game: movies, books, thoughts, creativity. When we faced our French rivals last year, the landmark was under renovation, so we had a little wander around.”

One more match in France is approaching: The Saints' reacquaintance with the English competition will be brief because the European tournament intervenes shortly. The French side, in the shadow of the mountain range, are the opening fixture on matchday before the Pretoria-based club arrive at the following weekend.

“I’m not going to be presumptuous to the extent to {