While Northampton might not be the world's most glamorous destination, its rugby union team is currently writing one of the sport's most compelling stories of romance and adventure.
From banking despair to rugby vision
Phil Dowson, Northampton's director of rugby, has presided over some truly sparkling rugby this season, but his path to coaching was far from predetermined. The former flanker, who played 262 top-flight matches for Newcastle, Northampton and Worcester, never seriously considered coaching during his playing days.
"When I played I never seriously considered it," Dowson reveals. "But as you get older you realise how much you enjoy the game, and what the real world looks like." His brief stint in the corporate world proved particularly enlightening. "I spent some time at Metro Bank doing work experience. You do the commute a few times, and it was tough – you realise what you do and don't have."
This banking experience ultimately pushed him toward coaching, with conversations with Dusty Hare and Jim Mallinder leading to his Northampton role eight years ago.
Building a championship culture
Since Dowson and head coach Sam Vesty took over in 2022, Northampton have achieved remarkable success. The Saints won the Premiership and made deep Champions Cup runs, including losing to Bordeaux-Bègles in last season's final and being knocked out by Leinster in a semi-final before that.
Their current form is equally impressive, sitting top of the table after four wins and a draw. They travel to Bristol on Saturday as the only unbeaten side, seeking their first win at Ashton Gate since 2021.
Dowson's squad is increasingly packed with international talent, including Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles, who all started for England against the All Blacks recently. The emergence of young stars like Henry Pollock and Fin Smith points to a thriving development system.
"It is a bit of both," Dowson says when asked about culture versus luck in developing talent. He credits former director of rugby Chris Boyd for "basically just throwing them in, and we had some tough days. But the experience they had as a group is undoubtedly one of the reasons they are so tight and so talented."
The French connection and unique talents
Northampton's attractive style of play is literally proving attractive to overseas talent. French fly-half Anthony Belleau joined this summer after facing Northampton in the Champions Cup, where he witnessed Tommy Freeman's hat-trick performance.
"A mate phoned me and said: 'There's a French 10 who's looking for a club,'" Dowson recalls. Initially hesitant due to budget constraints, he was won over by Belleau's desire for challenge. "We spoke to Anthony and his English was incredible, he was eloquent, he had a sense of humour."
The 20-year-old Henry Pollock represents another unique element in Northampton's success story. "Everyone's original but Henry is different and unique in many ways," Dowson says. "He's not afraid to be himself."
While Pollock's demonstrative on-field antics have drawn accusations of arrogance, Dowson is quick to defend his young star. "He sometimes comes across as arrogant in his actions, but he's not. Tactically he has input – he's not a clown. I think sometimes it's portrayed that he's just this idiot. But he's bright and good fun to have around."
The coaching bromance and European ambitions
Few directors of rugby would describe their relationship with their head coach as a "bromance," but that's exactly how Dowson characterizes his partnership with Sam Vesty.
"Sam and I share an inquisitiveness around different things," Dowson explains. "We have a book club. He wants to see everything, wants to know everything, wants to experience different things, and I feel like I'm the same."
Their shared curiosity extends beyond rugby to films, books, ideas, and art, creating a rich coaching partnership that's clearly benefiting the team.
Looking ahead, Northampton face an exciting period with Champions Cup matches against Pau and the Bulls looming. "I'm not going to be arrogant enough to say: 'We're going to win the Champions Cup,'" Dowson cautions. "But it's a special tournament because we do things that are new."
He highlights the unique experiences the European competition provides: "We'd never been to South Africa before. We played and won on the Highveld with all that heritage. We're going to play Bordeaux away, which we haven't done for years. These are the exciting parts of the season."
Despite the European adventures, Dowson remains focused on domestic success. "The bread and butter of the season, of course, is the league. We haven't won at Bristol for so long and we want to put that to bed. We want to stay at the top because we were so disappointingly inconsistent last season."
With Northampton's current form, Dowson's thoughtful leadership, and a squad blending established internationals with exciting young talent, the Saints appear well-positioned to achieve both their short-term and long-term ambitions.
