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Northampton Saints secure fifth new deal in the space of a month
Gallagher Premiership leaders Northampton Saints have confirmed that scrum-half Tom James has signed a new deal at Franklin’s Gardens, becoming the fifth player to do so since December.
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The 30-year-old follows Sam Graham, Robbie Smith, Fraser Dingwall and most recently Alex Coles in extending his stay with the Saints, who ascended to the top of the league with a 21-17 win over Sale Sharks on Saturday.
James arrived at Franklin’s Gardens in 2020 from Doncaster Knights in the Championship, and has gone on to make 69 appearances, including twelve this season.
After signing the new deal, he said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have re-signed for the Club. It’s a great time to be a Saint, as you can see from our recent results, and given how tight-knit the squad is, it’s a very special group to be a part of.
“I still feel like I’m learning and improving all the time, and I’m really enjoying my rugby at the moment.
“A lot of that is down to the fact that there’s a coaching group here who do all they can to make you a better player each day.
“It’s such a talented squad and I have no doubt we have the ability to go on and win silverware, so I’m looking forward to giving everything I can to help the Club achieve that.”
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Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson added: “TJ is a fantastic example of our recruitment strategy outside of the Academy working so well. Alongside the likes of Sam Graham and Robbie Smith, these are guys who came in at Saints looking for an opportunity to show what they are capable of.
“He’s one of the guys you really trust because he gets on with his work and he relishes pushing himself, working on his game, and quietly getting better.
“Tom’s got a wand of a left foot, and his ability to put the ball over the heads of wingers out of hand or by box kicking, as well as what he does to get the ball up and get our game moving, is so valuable for us.
“He’s also such a tenacious, physical and tough player who’s an absolute competitor every time he steps onto the pitch – we love him for that. He’s strong and fast which works both in defence and in attack, especially around those fringes he gets us going forward.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
GOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
1 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
146 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
146 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
146 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
146 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
146 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
146 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
146 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
146 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
146 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
146 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
146 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
146 Go to commentsHo hum.
146 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
146 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
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