Northampton Director of Rugby Phil Dowson: ‘I Tried Working for a Bank – It Was Tough’
Northampton may not be the most tropical spot on the planet, but its club delivers plenty of thrills and drama.
In a place famous for boot‑making, you could anticipate punting to be the Saints’ main approach. However under leader Phil Dowson, the side in their distinctive colors prefer to run with the ball.
Although embodying a distinctly UK town, they display a panache typical of the finest Gallic practitioners of champagne rugby.
After Dowson and fellow coach Sam Vesty took over in 2022, the Saints have secured the Premiership and advanced far in the Champions Cup – beaten by their Gallic opponents in the previous campaign's decider and ousted by the Irish province in a penultimate round previously.
They currently top the Prem table after a series of victories and one tie and visit their West Country rivals on the weekend as the sole undefeated team, aiming for a initial success at Ashton Gate since 2021.
It would be natural to think Dowson, who participated in 262 top-flight matches for various teams combined, had long intended to be a trainer.
“When I played, I hadn't given it much thought,” he states. “However as you get older, you realise how much you love the rugby, and what the normal employment looks like. I had a stint at a banking firm doing an internship. You do the commute a several occasions, and it was tough – you realise what you possess and lack.”
Discussions with club legends led to a position at Northampton. Jump ahead a decade and Dowson guides a team progressively packed with national team players: prominent figures were selected for England facing the All Blacks two weeks ago.
An emerging talent also had a major effect as a substitute in the national team's successful series while the number ten, eventually, will assume the No 10 jersey.
Is the rise of this remarkable group attributable to the team's ethos, or is it luck?
“It's a bit of both,” comments Dowson. “I’d credit Chris Boyd, who thrust them into action, and we had some tough days. But the exposure they had as a collective is definitely one of the causes they are so close-knit and so talented.”
Dowson also namechecks Mallinder, another predecessor at their stadium, as a significant mentor. “I’ve been fortunate to be guided by really interesting individuals,” he notes. “Jim had a big impact on my professional journey, my coaching, how I manage individuals.”
Northampton demonstrate appealing football, which proved literally true in the example of the French fly-half. The Frenchman was involved with the opposing team defeated in the Champions Cup in last season when Tommy Freeman scored a hat-trick. The player admired the style to such an extent to buck the pattern of English talent heading across the Channel.
“A mate phoned me and remarked: ‘There’s a Gallic number ten who’s seeking a team,’” Dowson recalls. “I said: ‘There's no funds for a imported playmaker. A different option will have to wait.’
‘He desires experience, for the possibility to challenge himself,’ my mate said. That caught my attention. We met with him and his language skills was incredible, he was eloquent, he had a funny side.
“We inquired: ‘What are your goals from this?’ He responded to be coached, to be challenged, to be in a new environment and outside the Top 14. I was thinking: ‘Join us, you’re a legend of a man.’ And he proved to be. We’re lucky to have him.”
Dowson states the emerging Henry Pollock provides a unique energy. Does he know an individual similar? “Never,” Dowson answers. “Each person is original but he is distinct and special in many ways. He’s not afraid to be himself.”
The player's sensational score against the Irish side previously illustrated his exceptional ability, but some of his expressive on-field actions have brought allegations of arrogance.
“On occasion appears arrogant in his behavior, but he’s not,” Dowson clarifies. “Furthermore he's not joking around the whole time. Game-wise he has input – he’s a smart player. I believe sometimes it’s depicted that he’s just this idiot. But he’s clever and a positive influence within the team.”
Hardly any coaches would admit to enjoying a tight friendship with a colleague, but that is how Dowson describes his relationship with Vesty.
“Together have an inquisitiveness around different things,” he notes. “We run a literary circle. He wants to see various elements, wants to know everything, aims to encounter new experiences, and I believe I’m the similar.
“We discuss numerous subjects beyond rugby: films, reading, thoughts, culture. When we played our French rivals last year, Notre-Dame was undergoing restoration, so we had a quick look.”
A further date in Gall is looming: The Saints' comeback with the Prem will be short-lived because the Champions Cup intervenes shortly. The French side, in the foothills of the Pyrenees, are up first on Sunday week before the Pretoria-based club travel to a week later.
“I refuse to be arrogant to the extent to {
