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Ben Foden is leaving Northampton Saints
Long-serving former England full-back Ben Foden will leave Northampton Saints at the end of the season.
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Foden is to move on after making his 250th appearance for Northampton in the final match of the Premiership campaign against Worcester Warriors on Saturday.
The 32-year-old has won a Premiership title and the European Challenge Cup twice during his time with Saints after joining from Sale Sharks in 2008, also earning 34 caps for his country, but is set for pastures new.
“I’m honoured to have had the opportunity to represent Northampton Saints almost 250 times,” said Foden.
There's one chapter left to write…
Fodes will lead Saints out on his 2??5??0??th and final appearance at the Gardens pic.twitter.com/llVrPEYokT
— Northampton Saints (@SaintsRugby) May 3, 2018
“I’ve enjoyed some incredible highs at this club over the last 10 years, winning trophies both in this country and across Europe. I want to thank all of the team-mates and coaches that I have worked with in that time, as well as wishing everyone that is staying here all the best for the future.
“I’m also so grateful to the club’s supporters, who have been behind me right from the beginning and made me feel loved every time I ran out at Franklin’s Gardens, and I leave with memories of them that I will cherish forever.
“I still feel fit and hungry for competitive rugby, and while now is the time to move on, I am really excited for what the next chapter holds in store for me.”
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After moving to Northampton in 2008 from Sale Sharks where he had already secured a Premiership title, Foden – who began his time at the Club as a scrum-half – soon established himself as one of the best fullbacks in European rugby.
It took him just one year to claim the first piece of silverware of his Saints tenure, lifting the European Challenge Cup in 2009.
He came within a whisker of topping that in 2011 as Northampton’s spectacular run to the Heineken Cup final ended in defeat to Leinster, despite his try in the first half of that epic clash.
But Foden remained a pillar of the side during Northampton’s stellar 2012-13 and 2013-14 campaigns, scoring in consecutive Premiership finals in 2013 and 2014 against Leicester Tigers and Saracens respectively – becoming only the second player achieve the feat.
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He played a remarkable 22 games at fullback during Saints’ double-winning season as Northampton claimed both the Challenge Cup and Premiership titles.
His exploits at Franklin’s Gardens led to a superb international career also, with Foden – who had represented England at all junior age groups and for the Saxons – earning his first cap in 2009 against Italy. In total, Foden played 34 times for the Red Rose scoring seven tries, including two during the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
And even after earning his Club cap for 200 appearances in the Black, Green and Gold last term, Foden has pushed on again this season and is in line to represent the Club for the 250th time this weekend.
“Fodes has been a remarkable player for both Northampton Saints and England,” said interim head coach Alan Dickens.
“We’ll miss having him around Franklin’s Gardens, both in terms of what he offers on the pitch as a player and a leader, but also as a character in the dressing room.”
Forwards coach Dorian West added: “Fodes has given the supporters here at Saints many happy memories and I’m sure they will repay him with a huge ovation on Saturday. He has the respect of everyone here and we wish him all the best for his next step.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
1 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
2 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
2 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
2 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
21 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
21 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to comments