Northampton Director of Rugby Phil Dowson: ‘I Tried Working for a Bank – It Was Tough’
Northampton is hardly the most glamorous destination on the planet, but its rugby union team delivers a great deal of thrills and drama.
In a place famous for footwear manufacturing, you might expect punting to be the Northampton's modus operandi. Yet under leader Phil Dowson, the team in green, black and gold choose to keep ball in hand.
Despite representing a quintessentially English town, they display a style synonymous with the finest Gallic masters of attacking rugby.
Since Dowson and the head coach Sam Vesty took over in 2022, Northampton have won the domestic league and progressed well in the continental tournament – losing to a French side in the ultimate match and eliminated by the Irish province in a semi-final earlier.
They currently top the Prem table after four wins and a draw and visit Ashton Gate on Saturday as the just one without a loss, seeking a initial success at Ashton Gate since 2021.
It would be natural to think Dowson, who featured in 262 top-flight matches for multiple clubs combined, always planned to be a trainer.
“When I played, I hadn't given it much thought,” he remarks. “But as you mature, you comprehend how much you appreciate the rugby, and what the real world is like. I worked briefly at a financial institution doing a trial period. You do the commute a several occasions, and it was tough – you grasp what you possess and lack.”
Discussions with club legends resulted in a job at the Saints. Move forward a decade and Dowson manages a team ever more filled with internationals: prominent figures lined up for the Red Rose versus the New Zealand two weeks ago.
Henry Pollock also had a major effect off the bench in the national team's perfect autumn while Fin Smith, down the line, will assume the fly-half role.
Is the rise of this remarkable group attributable to the team's ethos, or is it luck?
“It is a bit of both,” comments Dowson. “My thanks go to Chris Boyd, who thrust them into action, and we had some tough days. But the experience they had as a collective is definitely one of the reasons they are so united and so gifted.”
Dowson also mentions Mallinder, another predecessor at Franklin’s Gardens, as a key figure. “I was lucky to be guided by really interesting individuals,” he notes. “Mallinder had a significant influence on my professional journey, my coaching, how I manage people.”
Saints demonstrate attractive the game, which was clearly evident in the instance of Anthony Belleau. The Frenchman was involved with the French club beaten in the European competition in last season when the winger scored a hat-trick. The player was impressed enough to buck the pattern of UK players heading across the Channel.
“A mate phoned me and remarked: ‘We know of a Gallic number ten who’s seeking a team,’” Dowson says. “My response was: ‘We lack the budget for a overseas star. Thomas Ramos will have to wait.’
‘He desires a fresh start, for the possibility to prove his worth,’ my mate informed me. That caught my attention. We met with him and his language skills was excellent, he was eloquent, he had a funny side.
“We inquired: ‘What are you seeking from this?’ He said to be trained, to be driven, to be facing unfamiliar situations and away from the French league. I was saying: ‘Welcome aboard, you’re a fantastic individual.’ And he proved to be. We’re fortunate to have him.”
Dowson states the young Pollock provides a particular energy. Has he encountered a player comparable? “Never,” Dowson replies. “All players are individual but Henry is distinct and special in many ways. He’s not afraid to be authentic.”
Pollock’s breathtaking score against the Irish side in the past campaign illustrated his exceptional ability, but some of his animated on-field antics have led to accusations of arrogance.
“At times appears arrogant in his conduct, but he’s not,” Dowson asserts. “Plus Henry’s being serious all the time. In terms of strategy he has input – he’s a smart player. I believe on occasion it’s portrayed that he’s just this idiot. But he’s bright and great to have in the squad.”
Few managers would claim to have sharing a close bond with a assistant, but that is how Dowson characterizes his relationship with Vesty.
“Together possess an inquisitiveness regarding different things,” he says. “We have a literary circle. He aims to discover various elements, aims to learn all there is, wants to experience new experiences, and I feel like I’m the similar.
“We converse on lots of subjects outside the sport: cinema, reading, thoughts, creativity. When we played Stade [Français] last year, the landmark was being done up, so we had a little wander around.”
A further fixture in the French nation is coming up: The Saints' reacquaintance with the English competition will be brief because the European tournament takes over soon. Pau, in the vicinity of the mountain range, are up first on Sunday week before the Bulls visit the following weekend.
“I’m not going to be arrogant to the extent to {
