Tommy Freeman crosses for Northampton’s first try on Saturday – Getty Images/David Rogers Tours at the end of tough World Cup seasons can be intimidating, but next month offers England a big opportunity. And when we think about the setup that Japan and the All Blacks face, Tommy Freeman could be a crucial figure. Steve … Read more
Lawes led his side to a brilliant win – PA/David Davies Northampton Saints are the champions of English rugby and have survived an exciting comeback against 14-man Bath at Twickenham Stadium. Here’s how both sets rated players. Noordampton 15 George Furbank Great to chase back to deny Gallagher early. Forced one offload as Saints tried … Read more
The Premiership final will be Lawes’ last appearance for Northampton – Getty Images/David Rogers Lennie Newman has kept a copy of Courtney Lawes’ first professional contract with Northampton Saints. It was worth £8,000, plus first-team appearance fees. Lodging was included, and Lawes and other academy colleagues also received free meat through a sponsor. Whatever the … Read more
Sam Matavesi and Alex Waller will be seen at Twickenham on Saturday – Getty Images/David Rogers The Premier League final is expected to be a hard-fought encounter between Northampton and Bath, with little in it. Telegraph Sport’s experts predict how they think Saturday’s match will go, and the key areas that will decide the final. … Read more
Northampton players celebrate a try for Burger Odendaal against Saracens – Getty Images/Andrew Kearns We often hear players and coaches explain that big games have to be won more than once, such is the inevitability of momentum swings. Teams must keep their nerve and tackle problems in the workplace every now and then. Both Premier … Read more
Ollie Sleightholme has already plundered 14 tries this Premiership season – David Rogers/Getty Images Among the many different battles that will determine Friday night’s Premiership semi-final between Northampton Saints and Saracens, there will be an ultimate test of that well-worn sporting sense: “You know exactly what’s coming, but can you stop it?” Saints strengthened themselves … Read more
Immanuel Feyi-Waboso was part of the Exeter Chiefs team, England XI – and is Telegraph Sport’s Breakthrough Player of the Year – Getty Images/David Rogers Picking a team of the season is tricky at the best of times, let alone in the wake of a wildly unpredictable and generally peculiar Premiership campaign. Even 18 rounds … Read more
Courtney Lawes may be retired in England, but he should have one eye on the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour – Getty Images/Brendan Moran To make a meaningful bid for victory in Croke Park, or even to make Leinster sweat, it always felt like Northampton Saints needed a tour de force from Courtney Lawes. … Read more
Courtney Lawes (right) will need to make a monumental change for Northampton Saints’ upset against Leinster – PA/Adam Davy Common wisdom suggests that knockout games are cagey, claustrophobic affairs. If ever there was a quartet of semi-finalists who could blow this truth away, this season’s Champions Cup has found them. Leinster, Northampton Saints, Toulouse and … Read more
Alex Mitchell eludes Munster’s Mike Haley during Saints’ run to weekend semi-final – Andrew Kearns / CameraSport via Getty Images Nothing better illustrates the gap in resources between Northampton Saints and Leinster, who meet in the Investec Champions Cup semi-final on Saturday evening, than their recent recruitment. If Leinster shop at Harrods for All Black … Read more