Another England international locked in for more at Northampton

England lock Alex Coles is the latest international to pledge his future to Northampton Saints after signing a contract extension to remain with his boyhood club.

The towering 6’7” lock first joined Saints’ Academy at just 13 years old and has since become a cornerstone of the squad, making 136 appearances in Black, Green and Gold and earning 11 England caps along the way.

Now in his eighth season at Franklin’s Gardens, Coles is excited to continue his journey with Saints – joining the likes of Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell and Fraser Dingwall in re-signing for Northampton in recent weeks.

“Staying at the club that’s shown such faith in me was an easy decision,” said Coles. “Saints brought me in from school, guided me through the Academy, and shaped me into the player I am today. I don’t see any reason to play my rugby anywhere else.

“To represent the club I supported as a kid is incredible. My first rugby shirt was a signed Saints shirt back in 2006 or 2007, with names like Dylan Hartley and Soane Tonga’uiha on it – pulling on that same jersey has been amazing.

“The other lads who’ve re-signed recently have nailed what it feels like to play here; coming to work with people you consider your closest friends is special. That motivates you to work hard for each other and achieve things together.

“One of my biggest motivations is creating memories with this squad. I’ve had a taste of success, but I want more. Winning silverware and competing at the top level has been exciting, and there’s still hunger to push further. The fact so many players have committed again shows the belief in this group.

“I want us to keep improving and challenging on every stage – proving our PREM success wasn’t a one-off and going even further in Europe. I still have a burning desire to play for England and to try to go to the Rugby World Cup in 2027, so I need to keep performing for the club as everything goes hand-in-hand in that space.

“Beyond that, another big driver for me is that I want to be part of something bigger, something that impacts the town and our community here. Seeing what our PREM win meant to our supporters was incredible. Rugby dominates Northampton, and that makes running out at cinch Stadium so special.”

Saints’ Director of Rugby, Phil Dowson, is thrilled to secure a player of Coles’ calibre for the long term.

He said: “I can’t speak highly enough of Alex Coles for what he brings on and off the pitch. He’s invaluable in our environment – a lineout specialist and set-piece warrior who drives standards across the board.

“His work-rate off the field is exceptional, and from a leadership perspective he pushes himself and those around him to aspire to more. Colesy’s understanding of the game is also outstanding – he reads play brilliantly, finds space, and has the athleticism to score tries from 30 metres out, as we saw against Newcastle.

“Combine that with his versatility to play at lock or No.6 and you’ve got a hugely important player for us. Some of his best rugby came at the end of last season during the run-in and European Final. He also impressed on England’s tour to Argentina, gaining valuable experience and returning in great form.”

“Colesy clearly has ambitions to become an England regular, and we’re delighted his hard work is being recognised at international level. He wants to be the best and pushes himself physically and technically every day – that’s a trait we value highly at Saints. We’re thrilled to keep someone of Alex’s calibre within our environment.”