George Hendy used PREM final memory to get through the dark times

England A international George Hendy is ready to nail down a first-team place at Northampton after a summer of sacrifice.

Hendy dislocated his left shoulder four minutes into Saints’ 51-16 Champions Cup win over Castres in the middle of April and has been working his way back to fitness ever since.

While his teammates were sunning themselves during an extended pre-season, Hendy has spent the majority of the 11 weeks preparing for the 2025/26 campaign in rehab.

But having made a try-scoring return against Glasgow a week ago, Hendy is eager to push on and force his way into a highly competitive back three, while also strengthening his England claims, having played for the A team against Ireland.

“I played 50-60 minutes vs Glasgow and it felt really good so, yeah, I am in a really strong and happy position at the minute,” Hendy told RugbyPass.

“I want to push for a starting spot this year; we have pretty tough competition in the back three here at Saints. I want to try and get as many minutes under my belt and show what I can do, and hopefully, England will come calling.

“If not, I have always said I am pretty happy pushing myself and seeing where I end up. If it never comes I am happy to just keep pushing to get better.

“We’ve had this discussion before, that when the team is doing well, that’s when individual recognition comes.”

Saints struggled to cope with having so many star players away with England last season, mounting one of the worst title defences in PREM Rugby history.

The East Midlands side went from first place in 2024 to eighth in 2025, as dramatic a fall in standards as Sale Sharks experienced following their only title win in 20026.

However, with new signings, fly-half Anthony Belleau and No.8 Callum Chick, already impressing, and the lessons of last season hopefully learnt, Hendy is banking on this being a bounce-back season, for the team and for him personally.

“The league was already pretty competitive and Newcastle bolstering their team up a bit is only going to add to that,” Hendy pointed out.

“We have had different winners of the PREM in the last five years or so, so that shows how competitive the league can be.

“We have gone far in Europe in the last two years and have proved ourselves as one of the top sides in Europe and now we want to prove we are one of the best sides in the PREM.”

As well as getting his body back in working order, this summer gave the 22-year-old time to reflect on why he chose pro rugby as a career.

Hendy says thinking back to moments like his match-winning try against Bath in the 2024 PREM final, when he cut back inside and glided through the defence, served as a good reminder of the ‘why’.

“I can’t say I have thought about it much recently. It was more when I was injured, when it’s a bit darker and you’re trying to find that motivation.

“You almost want an answer as to why you are putting yourself through what you are doing. That’s when you look back at some of the highlights you have had in a Saints shirt. And I was like, yep, this is definitely what I want to be doing. It helps you to push on a bit.”

When not pounding away in the gym or attending physio sessions, Hendy ate and tried to avoid reminders of what he was missing out on. He put on three kilos and is now around the 100kg mark, a weight he is happy with.

The isolation of working alone, he says, was the hardest part.

“I think it was just the timing of it, I was in over the summer when a lot of the lads were off on holiday, going abroad and seeing family and stuff,” admitted Hendy.

“When you’re just sitting there making dinner for yourself in the evening and the other lads are asking each other where they are and what they are up to, it could get a bit dark.

“But I am glad I did it. Now that I am back, I am loving the opportunity we have got this season. I think the squad is in a really good place to do something special this year.”

Hendy, like Saints teammate Tommy Freeman, has designs on playing 13 at some stage, but for now, he wants to master the art of playing wing and full-back equally well.

“I think trying to become as natural as possible between wing and full-back will only help me, and I think the size I have put on, especially in the last few years, will definitely help in a transition towards 13 if that comes.

“I think it is one of those where it is just another string to your bow. I wouldn’t mind getting some experience there, and obviously, that starts in training, but for now, I want to nail down my place as part of the back three here at Saints.”