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Northampton is hardly the most glamorous destination on the planet, but its squad delivers a great deal of thrills and drama.

In a city renowned for footwear manufacturing, you could anticipate kicking to be the Northampton's primary strategy. Yet under head coach Phil Dowson, the side in green, black and gold choose to retain possession.

Although embodying a distinctly UK community, they showcase a flair associated with the finest French exponents of champagne rugby.

From the time Dowson and the head coach Sam Vesty took over in 2022, the Saints have claimed victory in the English top flight and progressed well in the continental tournament – beaten by a French side in last season’s final and knocked out by the Irish province in a penultimate round previously.

They sit atop the competition ladder after four wins and a draw and visit Ashton Gate on matchday as the sole undefeated team, seeking a maiden victory at Bristol's home since 2021.

It would be natural to think Dowson, who played 262 top-flight matches for multiple clubs in total, always planned to be a manager.

“As a professional, I didn't really think about it,” he states. “But as you age, you realise how much you enjoy the game, and what the everyday life looks like. I had a stint at a banking firm doing an internship. You make the journey a multiple instances, and it was difficult – you see what you do and don’t have.”

Talks with Dusty Hare and Jim Mallinder led to a position at Northampton. Jump ahead a decade and Dowson manages a squad progressively packed with global stars: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles started for the Red Rose against the New Zealand two weeks ago.

Henry Pollock also had a profound impact as a substitute in England’s flawless campaign while the fly-half, down the line, will assume the fly-half role.

Is the emergence of this remarkable generation attributable to the club's environment, or is it fortune?

“It's a combination of the two,” comments Dowson. “My thanks go to the former director of rugby, who thrust them into action, and we had some tough days. But the exposure they had as a unit is undoubtedly one of the factors they are so tight and so skilled.”

Dowson also namechecks Jim Mallinder, another predecessor at Franklin’s Gardens, as a significant mentor. “It was my good fortune to be guided by highly engaging personalities,” he notes. “Jim had a major effect on my professional journey, my coaching, how I manage individuals.”

Northampton demonstrate entertaining football, which was clearly evident in the example of the French fly-half. The import was a member of the Clermont XV beaten in the continental tournament in last season when Freeman notched a hat-trick. He was impressed enough to reverse the trend of UK players moving to France.

“A friend called me and remarked: ‘There’s a fly-half from France who’s seeking a team,’” Dowson explains. “I replied: ‘We don’t have funds for a imported playmaker. Thomas Ramos will have to wait.’

‘He’s looking for a fresh start, for the possibility to prove his worth,’ my mate said. That caught my attention. We spoke to him and his language skills was outstanding, he was eloquent, he had a funny side.

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

Dowson states the 20-year-old Pollock offers a particular vitality. Does he know an individual similar? “No,” Dowson responds. “Each person is unique but Henry is unusual and remarkable in many ways. He’s unafraid to be who he is.”

The player's breathtaking touchdown against their opponents in the past campaign showcased his unusual talent, but some of his animated during matches actions have brought accusations of arrogance.

“He sometimes appears overconfident in his conduct, but he’s not,” Dowson clarifies. “Furthermore Pollock is not joking around the whole time. Tactically he has contributions – he’s not a clown. I think on occasion it’s depicted that he’s merely a joker. But he’s clever and great to have within the team.”

Not many directors of rugby would claim to have having a bromance with a colleague, but that is how Dowson characterizes his partnership with his co-coach.

“Together share an curiosity around various topics,” he says. “We run a literary circle. He aims to discover various elements, seeks to understand everything, wants to experience different things, and I think I’m the similar.

“We discuss many things away from the game: movies, reading, ideas, creativity. When we faced the Parisian club last year, Notre-Dame was being done up, so we had a little wander around.”

A further date in the French nation is looming: The Saints' comeback with the Prem will be short-lived because the Champions Cup kicks in shortly. Their next opponents, in the shadow of the Pyrenees, are up first on the coming weekend before the Pretoria-based club visit the following weekend.

“I won't be arrogant to the extent to {