Saints Coach Phil Dowson: ‘Banking Was a Difficult Experience’
Northampton is hardly the most glamorous location on the planet, but its rugby union team delivers an abundance of thrills and drama.
In a town known for boot‑making, you could anticipate punting to be the Saints’ primary strategy. But under leader Phil Dowson, the squad in their distinctive colors choose to run with the ball.
Despite embodying a quintessentially English community, they display a panache typical of the finest French practitioners of champagne rugby.
From the time Dowson and fellow coach Sam Vesty took over in 2022, Northampton have won the Premiership and advanced far in the Champions Cup – defeated by a French side in the ultimate match and knocked out by the Irish province in a last-four clash before that.
They currently top the league standings after four wins and a draw and travel to Ashton Gate on Saturday as the sole undefeated team, aiming for a first win at their opponent's ground since 2021.
It would be natural to think Dowson, who featured in 262 premier fixtures for Newcastle, Northampton and Worcester combined, always planned to be a manager.
“When I played, I never seriously considered it,” he states. “Yet as you get older, you realise how much you love the sport, and what the normal employment is like. I spent some time at a banking firm doing work experience. You do the commute a several occasions, and it was difficult – you see what you do and don’t have.”
Talks with Dusty Hare and Jim Mallinder resulted in a role at Northampton. Move forward several seasons and Dowson manages a roster increasingly packed with internationals: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles lined up for England versus the New Zealand two weeks ago.
The young flanker also had a significant influence as a substitute in England’s successful series while the fly-half, eventually, will inherit the pivotal position.
Is the rise of this exceptional generation attributable to the Saints’ culture, or is it luck?
“It's a mix of each,” states Dowson. “I would acknowledge Chris Boyd, who thrust them into action, and we had challenging moments. But the exposure they had as a collective is definitely one of the causes they are so close-knit and so gifted.”
Dowson also namechecks Mallinder, another predecessor at their stadium, as a significant mentor. “I was lucky to be guided by really interesting individuals,” he adds. “Jim had a major effect on my career, my coaching, how I manage people.”
Northampton execute attractive rugby, which was clearly evident in the instance of Anthony Belleau. The Gallic player was a member of the French club defeated in the continental tournament in the spring when Tommy Freeman scored a triple. Belleau admired the style sufficiently to go against the flow of British stars joining Top 14 sides.
“An associate rang me and stated: ‘There’s a fly-half from France who’s seeking a club,’” Dowson recalls. “I said: ‘We lack the budget for a imported playmaker. A different option will have to wait.’
‘He wants experience, for the chance to prove his worth,’ my mate told me. That intrigued us. We had a conversation with Belleau and his language skills was outstanding, he was articulate, he had a sense of humour.
“We inquired: ‘What do you want from this?’ He answered to be trained, to be driven, to be in a new environment and outside the French league. I was thinking: ‘Join us, you’re a legend of a man.’ And he has been. We’re lucky to have him.”
Dowson states the 20-year-old Pollock offers a specific vitality. Does he know a player comparable? “Never,” Dowson replies. “Each person is individual but Henry is distinct and special in many ways. He’s not afraid to be who he is.”
His sensational score against the Irish side in the past campaign showcased his freakish ability, but some of his animated on-field behavior have brought claims of arrogance.
“At times seems cocky in his behavior, but he’s not,” Dowson asserts. “And Henry’s not joking around all the time. Game-wise he has input – he’s a smart player. I believe on occasion it’s depicted that he’s only a character. But he’s clever and great to have within the team.”
Hardly any directors of rugby would describe themselves as enjoying a tight friendship with a colleague, but that is how Dowson characterizes his partnership with his co-coach.
“Together share an inquisitiveness about different things,” he says. “We have a book club. He wants to see everything, wants to know all there is, desires to try different things, and I believe I’m the alike.
“We converse on numerous subjects away from rugby: films, literature, thoughts, culture. When we met Stade [Français] previously, Notre-Dame was being done up, so we had a quick look.”
Another match in France is approaching: The Saints' comeback with the domestic league will be short-lived because the European tournament kicks in next week. Their next opponents, in the vicinity of the mountain range, are the initial challenge on Sunday week before the Bulls visit soon after.
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