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Northampton is hardly the most exotic location globally, but its squad provides plenty of romance and adventure.

In a town famous for footwear manufacturing, you might expect boot work to be the Saints’ modus operandi. But under leader Phil Dowson, the team in their distinctive colors opt to retain possession.

Despite embodying a quintessentially English location, they exhibit a flair synonymous with the finest French practitioners of attacking rugby.

Since Dowson and his colleague Sam Vesty assumed control in 2022, Northampton have secured the English top flight and advanced far in the Champions Cup – defeated by a French side in last season’s final and knocked out by Leinster in a penultimate round before that.

They sit atop the competition ladder after a series of victories and one tie and head to Ashton Gate on matchday as the only unbeaten side, chasing a first win at Ashton Gate since 2021.

It would be natural to think Dowson, who played 262 top-flight matches for multiple clubs altogether, consistently aimed to be a manager.

“As a professional, I didn't really think about it,” he remarks. “But as you get older, you understand how much you appreciate the game, and what the real world is like. I spent some time at a banking firm doing an internship. You make the journey a few times, and it was challenging – you see what you have going for you.”

Conversations with club legends led to a position at the Saints. Move forward several seasons and Dowson leads a team ever more crammed with national team players: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles started for England facing the New Zealand two weeks ago.

The young flanker also had a profound impact off the bench in England’s successful series while Fin Smith, eventually, will take over the fly-half role.

Is the rise of this remarkable generation attributable to the Saints’ culture, or is it fortune?

“This is a bit of both,” states Dowson. “My thanks go to an ex-coach, who basically just threw them in, and we had difficult periods. But the exposure they had as a unit is definitely one of the factors they are so close-knit and so gifted.”

Dowson also mentions Mallinder, an earlier coach at the club's home, as a key figure. “I was lucky to be mentored by highly engaging people,” he adds. “Jim had a major effect on my career, my training methods, how I deal with others.”

Saints demonstrate entertaining the game, which proved literally true in the instance of the French fly-half. The import was involved with the opposing team overcome in the European competition in last season when the winger registered a three tries. The player was impressed to such an extent to buck the pattern of English talent joining Top 14 sides.

“An associate called me and remarked: ‘We know of a fly-half from France who’s in search of a team,’” Dowson explains. “I said: ‘There's no funds for a French fly-half. Another target will have to wait.’

‘He wants a fresh start, for the chance to challenge himself,’ my mate said. That intrigued us. We spoke to him and his communication was outstanding, he was articulate, he had a funny side.

“We asked: ‘What are your goals from this?’ He responded to be trained, to be challenged, to be outside his comfort zone and away from the French league. I was thinking: ‘Join us, you’re a fantastic individual.’ And he turned out to be. We’re fortunate to have him.”

Dowson says the young Pollock provides a particular energy. Has he coached an individual like him? “Not really,” Dowson answers. “Each person is unique but he is different and unique in numerous aspects. He’s fearless to be himself.”

His spectacular score against their opponents previously demonstrated his freakish talent, but some of his expressive in-game actions have led to claims of cockiness.

“At times comes across as arrogant in his conduct, but he’s not,” Dowson says. “And Henry’s not joking around the whole time. Tactically he has input – he’s a smart player. I believe on occasion it’s depicted that he’s merely a joker. But he’s bright and a positive influence in the squad.”

Few directors of rugby would claim to have sharing a close bond with a head coach, but that is how Dowson characterizes his relationship with Vesty.

“We both share an interest around different things,” he says. “We have a literary circle. He desires to explore all aspects, aims to learn each detail, wants to experience different things, and I believe I’m the similar.

“We converse on numerous things outside rugby: cinema, reading, concepts, culture. When we met our French rivals in the past season, Notre-Dame was being done up, so we had a quick look.”

One more date in the French nation is coming up: The Saints' return with the Prem will be short-lived because the Champions Cup intervenes soon. Pau, in the foothills of the border region, are the initial challenge on the coming weekend before the Pretoria-based club visit the following weekend.

“I’m not going to be arrogant enough to {