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Northampton isn't exactly the most exotic spot globally, but its club provides plenty of excitement and passion.

In a town known for footwear manufacturing, you might expect boot work to be the Northampton's primary strategy. However under head coach Phil Dowson, the squad in their distinctive colors opt to run with the ball.

Even though playing for a quintessentially English community, they showcase a style synonymous with the best Gallic exponents of expansive play.

From the time Dowson and his colleague Sam Vesty stepped up in 2022, Northampton have secured the English top flight and progressed well in the Champions Cup – beaten by Bordeaux-Bègles in last season’s final and knocked out by the Irish province in a penultimate round previously.

They sit atop the Prem table after multiple successes and a single stalemate and head to their West Country rivals on matchday as the just one without a loss, aiming for a first win at their opponent's ground since 2021.

It would be typical to think Dowson, who participated in 262 elite matches for Newcastle, Northampton and Worcester in total, consistently aimed to be a coach.

“As a professional, I didn't really think about it,” he remarks. “But as you age, you understand how much you enjoy the game, and what the normal employment looks like. I worked briefly at Metro Bank doing work experience. You do the commute a multiple instances, and it was challenging – you grasp what you possess and lack.”

Discussions with club legends resulted in a position at the Saints. Fast-forward eight years and Dowson manages a team ever more packed with national team players: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles lined up for the Red Rose versus the New Zealand two weeks ago.

Henry Pollock also had a significant influence as a substitute in the national team's successful series while Fin Smith, in time, will inherit the fly-half role.

Is the emergence of this exceptional cohort due to the team's ethos, or is it fortune?

“It is a mix of each,” states Dowson. “I would acknowledge Chris Boyd, who gave them opportunities, and we had difficult periods. But the practice they had as a unit is definitely one of the factors they are so united and so talented.”

Dowson also cites Mallinder, a former boss at the club's home, as a key figure. “It was my good fortune to be coached by really interesting people,” he notes. “Mallinder had a significant influence on my rugby life, my training methods, how I deal with others.”

Northampton play appealing the game, which became obvious in the case of their new signing. The Frenchman was involved with the Clermont XV defeated in the European competition in the spring when the winger notched a hat-trick. Belleau liked what he saw sufficiently to reverse the trend of English talent heading across the Channel.

“An associate phoned me and remarked: ‘There’s a Gallic number ten who’s looking for a side,’” Dowson recalls. “My response was: ‘We don’t have funds for a French fly-half. A different option will have to wait.’

‘He’s looking for a fresh start, for the chance to test himself,’ my friend told me. That caught my attention. We met with him and his English was outstanding, he was well-spoken, he had a witty personality.

“We inquired: ‘What do you want from this?’ He responded to be trained, to be pushed, to be outside his comfort zone and beyond the Top 14. I was thinking: ‘Welcome aboard, you’re a fantastic individual.’ And he turned out to be. We’re blessed to have him.”

Dowson states the 20-year-old Pollock brings a unique energy. Has he encountered an individual like him? “Never,” Dowson responds. “Each person is individual but he is different and unique in many ways. He’s not afraid to be himself.”

Pollock’s sensational touchdown against the Irish side in the past campaign showcased his freakish ability, but a few of his expressive on-field actions have resulted in accusations of cockiness.

“On occasion comes across as cocky in his actions, but he’s not,” Dowson clarifies. “Plus Henry’s not taking the piss constantly. Tactically he has ideas – he’s not a clown. I think on occasion it’s portrayed that he’s only a character. But he’s bright and good fun to have around.”

Hardly any coaches would admit to having a bromance with a colleague, but that is how Dowson describes his connection with Sam Vesty.

“Sam and I share an curiosity regarding diverse subjects,” he explains. “We run a book club. He wants to see all aspects, seeks to understand each detail, aims to encounter new experiences, and I feel like I’m the alike.

“We discuss numerous things away from the sport: films, reading, ideas, art. When we played Stade [Français] in the past season, the landmark was under renovation, so we had a little wander around.”

One more fixture in the French nation is coming up: Northampton’s reacquaintance with the English competition will be brief because the European tournament takes over next week. Pau, in the foothills of the mountain range, are the opening fixture on Sunday week before the South African team visit a week later.

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