Saints Coach Phil Dowson: ‘My Bank Job Was a Real Challenge’
This English town isn't exactly the most exotic destination on the planet, but its squad provides a great deal of thrills and drama.
In a place renowned for boot‑making, you might expect kicking to be the Northampton's main approach. However under head coach Phil Dowson, the squad in the club's hues prefer to keep ball in hand.
Despite representing a typically British town, they display a style associated with the best Gallic masters of expansive play.
From the time Dowson and fellow coach Sam Vesty took over in 2022, Northampton have secured the Premiership and progressed well in the European competition – defeated by Bordeaux-Bègles in the ultimate match and knocked out by Leinster in a last-four clash earlier.
They currently top the Prem table after multiple successes and a single stalemate and head to their West Country rivals on Saturday as the only unbeaten side, chasing a first win at Bristol's home since 2021.
It would be natural to think Dowson, who played 262 elite matches for multiple clubs in total, consistently aimed to be a manager.
“During my career, I never seriously considered it,” he says. “But as you get older, you comprehend how much you appreciate the sport, and what the real world looks like. I spent some time at a banking firm doing a trial period. You do the commute a several occasions, and it was difficult – you realise what you do and don’t have.”
Conversations with club legends led to a position at the Saints. Jump ahead a decade and Dowson manages a team ever more crammed with global stars: key individuals lined up for England facing the All Blacks two weeks ago.
The young flanker also had a profound impact from the replacements in the national team's flawless campaign while the number ten, in time, will assume the fly-half role.
Is the rise of this remarkable generation because of the Saints’ culture, or is it fortune?
“It's a mix of each,” states Dowson. “I would acknowledge an ex-coach, who basically just threw them in, and we had challenging moments. But the experience they had as a collective is certainly one of the reasons they are so united and so skilled.”
Dowson also cites Jim Mallinder, a former boss at their stadium, as a key figure. “I was lucky to be coached by really interesting personalities,” he adds. “Mallinder had a significant influence on my career, my training methods, how I manage individuals.”
Saints demonstrate entertaining football, which became obvious in the example of their new signing. The Gallic player was involved with the French club defeated in the continental tournament in the spring when Tommy Freeman scored a triple. The player was impressed to such an extent to buck the pattern of British stars heading across the Channel.
“A mate phoned me and said: ‘We've found a French 10 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 desires a fresh start, for the possibility to prove his worth,’ my friend informed me. That caught my attention. We spoke to Anthony and his communication was outstanding, he was articulate, he had a witty personality.
“We questioned: ‘What are you seeking from this?’ He answered to be coached, to be pushed, to be facing unfamiliar situations and outside the French league. I was like: ‘Come on in, you’re a great person.’ And he proved to be. We’re fortunate to have him.”
Dowson says the emerging Henry Pollock offers a specific vitality. Has he coached anyone similar? “Not really,” Dowson answers. “All players are individual but Henry is unusual and remarkable in many ways. He’s unafraid to be who he is.”
His breathtaking touchdown against their opponents last season demonstrated his unusual talent, but some of his demonstrative during matches actions have resulted in claims of cockiness.
“At times comes across as overconfident in his actions, but he’s far from it,” Dowson asserts. “And Pollock is not joking around constantly. In terms of strategy he has contributions – he’s no fool. I feel sometimes it’s depicted that he’s only a character. But he’s bright and good fun within the team.”
Not many managers would admit to having a bromance with a assistant, but that is how Dowson describes his relationship with his co-coach.
“We both have an inquisitiveness about various topics,” he notes. “We run a literary circle. He desires to explore everything, wants to know everything, wants to experience varied activities, and I feel like I’m the alike.
“We talk about lots of topics beyond the game: films, reading, thoughts, creativity. When we faced the Parisian club previously, Notre-Dame was being done up, so we had a little wander around.”
One more fixture in Gall is looming: The Saints' comeback with the English competition will be temporary because the continental event intervenes next week. The French side, in the vicinity of the mountain range, are the opening fixture on matchday before the Pretoria-based club visit soon after.
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