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Northampton may not be the most exotic destination in the world, but its rugby union team delivers plenty of excitement and passion.

In a town known for footwear manufacturing, you could anticipate boot work to be the Northampton's primary strategy. However under the director of rugby Phil Dowson, the side in their distinctive colors opt to run with the ball.

Despite embodying a distinctly UK location, they exhibit a panache associated with the greatest French masters of champagne rugby.

From the time Dowson and his colleague Sam Vesty stepped up in 2022, the Saints have claimed victory in the English top flight and gone deep in the European competition – losing to a French side in the ultimate match and knocked out by Dublin-based club in a last-four clash before that.

They lead the Prem table after multiple successes and a single stalemate and visit their West Country rivals on the weekend as the only unbeaten side, seeking a maiden victory at their opponent's ground since 2021.

It would be natural to think Dowson, who participated in 262 top-flight matches for various teams in total, consistently aimed to be a trainer.

“During my career, I didn't really think about it,” he says. “Yet as you mature, you realise how much you appreciate the sport, and what the everyday life is like. I spent some time at a banking firm doing a trial period. You make the journey a few times, and it was tough – you grasp what you have going for you.”

Talks with former mentors culminated in a position at the Saints. Fast-forward a decade and Dowson leads a squad progressively filled with internationals: prominent figures started for England facing the the Kiwis two weeks ago.

Henry Pollock also had a significant influence from the replacements in England’s successful series while the fly-half, in time, will inherit the No 10 jersey.

Is the development of this exceptional cohort due to the team's ethos, or is it chance?

“It is a mix of each,” says Dowson. “I would acknowledge the former director of rugby, who gave them opportunities, and we had challenging moments. But the practice they had as a collective is definitely one of the causes they are so close-knit and so gifted.”

Dowson also mentions his predecessor, an earlier coach at Franklin’s Gardens, as a key figure. “I’ve been fortunate to be guided by exceptionally insightful individuals,” he notes. “Mallinder had a major effect on my rugby life, my coaching, how I manage others.”

The team play attractive rugby, which proved literally true in the instance of the French fly-half. The Frenchman was a member of the opposing team beaten in the Champions Cup in last season when the winger scored a hat-trick. The player liked what he saw enough to go against the flow of English talent moving to France.

“A friend phoned me and said: ‘We've found a French 10 who’s looking for a club,’” Dowson says. “My response was: ‘There's no money for a overseas star. A different option will have to wait.’

‘He desires a fresh start, for the chance to prove his worth,’ my mate informed me. That interested me. We met with him and his language skills was incredible, he was eloquent, he had a sense of humour.

“We questioned: ‘What do you want from this?’ He said to be guided, to be driven, to be facing unfamiliar situations and beyond the Top 14. I was saying: ‘Join us, you’re a great person.’ And he turned out to be. We’re lucky to have him.”

Dowson comments the 20-year-old Henry Pollock provides a particular vitality. Has he encountered anyone like him? “Not really,” Dowson replies. “Each person is original but Pollock is unusual and remarkable in many ways. He’s unafraid to be himself.”

Pollock’s breathtaking try against Leinster previously illustrated his freakish ability, but various his animated during matches antics have resulted in allegations of overconfidence.

“He sometimes seems cocky in his conduct, but he’s far from it,” Dowson clarifies. “And he's being serious the whole time. Tactically he has contributions – he’s no fool. I think on occasion it’s portrayed that he’s only a character. But he’s clever and great to have in the squad.”

Few managers would claim to have enjoying a tight friendship with a assistant, but that is how Dowson characterizes his partnership with Vesty.

“Together possess an curiosity regarding different things,” he notes. “We maintain a reading group. He aims to discover everything, aims to learn everything, aims to encounter different things, and I think I’m the alike.

“We converse on lots of topics away from rugby: films, reading, thoughts, creativity. When we played the Parisian club in the past season, Notre-Dame was being done up, so we had a quick look.”

Another match in the French nation is approaching: The Saints' comeback with the Prem will be brief because the European tournament intervenes next week. Their next opponents, in the vicinity of the border region, are the opening fixture on matchday before the South African team arrive at the following weekend.

“I refuse to be overconfident sufficiently to {