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This English town is hardly the most tropical spot globally, but its rugby union team provides a great deal of excitement and passion.

In a town renowned for shoe production, you might expect kicking to be the Northampton's primary strategy. But under the director of rugby Phil Dowson, the side in green, black and gold prefer to keep ball in hand.

Despite playing for a distinctly UK town, they exhibit a style associated with the best French exponents of expansive play.

From the time Dowson and fellow coach Sam Vesty assumed control in 2022, the Saints have won the Premiership and gone deep in the continental tournament – defeated by a French side in last season’s final and knocked out by Dublin-based club in a last-four clash before that.

They lead the competition ladder after multiple successes and a single stalemate and head to Bristol on Saturday as the only unbeaten side, chasing a initial success at Ashton Gate since 2021.

It would be typical to think Dowson, who played 262 premier games for Newcastle, Northampton and Worcester in total, consistently aimed to be a coach.

“When I played, I hadn't given it much thought,” he states. “But as you age, you realise how much you appreciate the sport, and what the real world entails. I worked briefly at a banking firm doing an internship. You travel to work a few times, and it was difficult – you see what you have going for you.”

Talks with former mentors led to a position at Northampton. Move forward a decade and Dowson guides a roster increasingly filled with internationals: prominent figures lined up for the national side versus the All Blacks two weeks ago.

An emerging talent also had a profound impact as a substitute in the national team's successful series while Fin Smith, in time, will take over the No 10 jersey.

Is the rise of this remarkable cohort because of the team's ethos, or is it fortune?

“This is a mix of each,” says Dowson. “I’d credit Chris Boyd, who basically just threw them in, and we had some tough days. But the exposure they had as a unit is definitely one of the reasons they are so tight and so gifted.”

Dowson also namechecks Mallinder, another predecessor at the club's home, as a significant mentor. “It was my good fortune to be coached by really interesting personalities,” he says. “Jim had a major effect on my career, my training methods, how I deal with others.”

Saints execute entertaining football, which became obvious in the case of Anthony Belleau. The Gallic player was a member of the Clermont XV overcome in the Champions Cup in April when the winger registered a hat-trick. Belleau was impressed enough to buck the pattern of British stars heading across the Channel.

“A friend rang me and stated: ‘We've found a fly-half from France who’s looking for a side,’” Dowson says. “My response was: ‘We lack the money for a overseas star. Another target will have to wait.’

‘He desires experience, for the chance to challenge himself,’ my contact informed me. That caught my attention. We had a conversation with Belleau and his language skills was excellent, he was well-spoken, he had a sense of humour.

“We asked: ‘What do you want from this?’ He said to be coached, to be challenged, to be in a new environment and beyond the French league. I was like: ‘Welcome aboard, you’re a fantastic individual.’ And he turned out to be. We’re blessed to have him.”

Dowson states the young the flanker brings a particular vitality. Does he know anyone like him? “Never,” Dowson answers. “Everyone’s original but he is distinct and special in multiple respects. He’s not afraid to be who he is.”

Pollock’s breathtaking touchdown against their opponents in the past campaign demonstrated his unusual skill, but various his demonstrative in-game behavior have brought allegations of arrogance.

“He sometimes comes across as cocky in his behavior, but he’s not,” Dowson says. “And Pollock is being serious all the time. Game-wise he has ideas – he’s not a clown. I believe at times it’s depicted that he’s just this idiot. But he’s intelligent and good fun within the team.”

Hardly any directors of rugby would claim to have sharing a close bond with a assistant, but that is how Dowson frames his connection with Vesty.

“Sam and I possess an curiosity regarding diverse subjects,” he says. “We maintain a literary circle. He wants to see everything, aims to learn each detail, aims to encounter different things, and I believe I’m the similar.

“We talk about many things away from rugby: cinema, books, ideas, creativity. When we met the Parisian club last year, Notre-Dame was under renovation, so we had a brief exploration.”

A further match in Gall is approaching: The Saints' comeback with the domestic league will be brief because the European tournament intervenes shortly. The French side, in the vicinity of the border region, are up first on the coming weekend before the Pretoria-based club arrive at soon after.

“I’m not going to be presumptuous to the extent to {