Northampton boss Dowson & coaching duo agree new deals

Northampton Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson and head coach Sam Vesty have signed contract extensions with the Prem Rugby club.

First-team coach James Craig has also agreed a new deal as Saints look to add further silverware to their 2024 league triumph.

Dowson, a former Northampton back-row, took charge ahead of the 2022-23 season and as well as the Premiership title, has guided the team to the semi-finals and final of the European Champions Cup in the last two seasons.

"Their leadership and vision have been instrumental in delivering silverware and shaping an exciting future for the club," said Saints chief executive Julia Chapman.

"Securing them for the long term is a clear sign of the club's ambition and our determination to keep building on recent success.

"The culture and environment they've created – and the strong bond within the playing group – are fundamental to what makes Saints special. Players want to come here because they know these coaches will help them improve, and that speaks volumes about their quality and approach."

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After starting the season with a draw in their opening Prem game, Saints reeled off four wins in a row to go top of the table before suffering a first defeat away to Bristol Bulls, which dropped them to third.

But they bounced back last weekend with victory in Pau in a positive start to their Champions Cup campaign.

"We've got an incredibly talented playing group which I feel still has so much more to offer, supported by brilliant people across the club who are fully invested in what we're building," said Dowson.

"This coaching team is a big source of enjoyment for me; the cohesion, trust and balance we share is special, and we're having a lot of fun doing it."

Former Leicester full-back Vesty joined Saints as an attack coach in 2018 before being promoted to his current role.

He said: "I feel like I am a different coach to the one who started here seven years ago. I'm definitely still learning and I've matured as a coach, but fundamentally my passion remains the same; I've always wanted to help people get better and that's still the most rewarding part of the job."

Craig, like Dowson, is a former Northampton player, making 73 appearances before retiring in 2019. He joined the senior coaching team three years later.