Northampton statement: Courtney Lawes signs for Brive
Northampton have confirmed that Courtney Lawes will exit the Saints at the end of the 2023/24 season after agreeing on a move to Brive in France.
The England centurion, who retired from international rugby at the end of the recent Rugby World Cup, had been tipped in recent weeks to join the mid-table Pro D2 club despite interest from their French league rivals Provence and an offer to remain on at Franklin’s Gardens.
RugbyPass exclusively reported on Tuesday that Lawes would be travelling to France this week and he finally put pen to paper on the deal on Friday – the same day as his 35th birthday – ahead of Brive’s game at home to Valence-Romans.
Lawes said: “I want to make it clear that I really would have liked to end my career as a one-club man, and Saints did everything they possibly could to make that happen – our conversations were all very positive.
“But, first and foremost, I have to make sure that my family and I are in the best position possible for my retirement, which will be in the next couple of years.
Arrived as a kid, leaves as the GOAT ?@Courtney_Lawes’ contribution to our Club is immeasurable ? pic.twitter.com/690djlD1XN
— Northampton Saints ? (@SaintsRugby) February 23, 2024
“This is likely to be the last contract I will ever sign, and the offer I have received to play overseas will be transformational for my family, so there was no way I could turn it down and I took the decision to move away from Northampton.
“I’m so grateful for everything that Saints has given to me. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to play so long for my hometown, and the supporters have been amazing through it all – in both the good times and the bad.
“I have been through it all with Saints and I just hope that my efforts on the pitch have reflected my appreciation for the club. It’s incredibly sad for me to be leaving, but ultimately, I know I am leaving Saints in really good hands-on and off the pitch with the players, coaches and staff we have.
“I know that they will continue to push on and I hope they can become the best side in England for an extended period. I’ll always be a massive supporter of Northampton. I have always given everything I have to the club, and that is only going to continue for these final few months in black, green and gold.
“We have got a brilliant opportunity to go and do something amazing this season, and it would be fantastic to leave on the high note of winning a trophy, so I’ll be giving it my all to achieve that.”
Northampton CEO Mark Darbon added: “Clearly, it’s very disappointing that Courtney has decided to leave Saints, but it is a decision he has made with the long-term future of his family in mind, which we fully understand and respect.
“We obviously wanted Courtney to stay and we made him a significantly increased offer to remain part of our squad. But given this will probably be his last-ever contract and the incredible service he has already given to the club over the last 17 seasons, no one can begrudge him accepting a very substantial alternative offer to finish his career overseas.
“Given the financial challenges that we, like all Premiership clubs, are still navigating, ultimately we just could not compete with the transformational scale of the offer Courtney has received, without impacting our investment into the wider squad and the club more broadly.
?? Chers supporters Noir et Blanc, vous l'attendiez, c'est désormais signé.
Avant de vous rencontrer en personne la saison prochaine, il a pris le temps d'écrire ces quelques mots, spécialement pour vous.
Welcome to Brive ????https://t.co/NngEX0KbIF pic.twitter.com/ITkTvw41iF
— CA Brive Rugby (@CABCLRUGBY) February 23, 2024
“We will miss him around the Gardens but he departs on great terms with our very best wishes for the future, and we hope to send him off in style at the end of this season.”
Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson said: “It’s impossible to sum up Courtney’s contribution to Saints and England over the last 17 years. He is still one of the very best – if not the best – number 6s in the world, he has done it all in a Northampton shirt, his international experience is almost unparalleled, and off the field, he gives our group so much in terms of confidence and leadership.
“I am convinced he would have loved to stay here at Saints to finish his career, but sometimes the offer is simply too good to refuse, and he has absolutely earned the right to accept it. He’s got a young family and I’m sure this new adventure will be a great experience for them too.
“It speaks volumes about Courtney’s talent and mindset that he didn’t feel like he got the best out of himself last season in a Saints shirt because of injuries, so he decided to stay on for another year and finish his time in Northampton on his terms.
“He has achieved that in how well he has played – he has been extraordinary this season so far – and I’m sure he’ll continue to push himself for these final few months because of how strongly he feels for the club and the town.
“It’s going to be the end of an era when Courtney hangs up his boots here, and the squad has to ensure we harness that emotional energy properly – it can be a positive and powerful thing, but we also need to stay focused on what we’re trying to do for the remainder of the season.”
A Northampton club statement paying tribute to Lawes’ career read: “After 17 seasons at Northampton, Courtney Lawes will depart the club after the 2023/24 campaign after electing to finish his illustrious career with one final adventure overseas at Brive.
“A legend in black, green and gold, Lawes has played 274 matches for Northampton to date, while also racking up 105 Test caps for England prior to his international retirement, and a further five for the British and Irish Lions.
“Having risen through the club’s academy ranks, and growing up just around the corner from cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, the 35-year-old first pulled on a Saints jersey back in 2007 and has since proven himself to be one of the greatest players of all time to represent Northampton.
“Lawes has won a series of trophies in black, green and gold, and has been one of the club’s outstanding performers ever since breaking into the first team as an 18-year-old.
“After helping Northampton win promotion back to the Premiership from National One at the first time of asking, he then lifted both the European Challenge Cup in 2009 and the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2010 with Saints, before a European Champions Cup final followed in 2011.
“Lawes was then instrumental in Northampton’s greatest season to date in 2014, with the side claiming their first-ever Premiership title and a second Challenge Cup trophy within eight days of each other.
“He was voted the club’s player of the season in 2019/20 by Saints supporters, reached the 250-appearance milestone for Saints against Ulster in January 2022, and was named an honorary freeman of Northampton by the town council last December.
“From his Test debut in 2009 to his international retirement in October, Lawes was an ever-present for England, representing his country at four Rugby World Cups (helping the Red Rose reach the final in 2019) and winning three Six Nations titles including one Grand Slam.
“Lawes captained England throughout the 2021/22 season, and also twice toured with the British and Irish Lions (in 2017 to New Zealand and 2021 to South Africa) earning five further Test caps in the process.”
Comments on RugbyPass
SBW’s bro’town commentary and lazy default to hyperbole should be ignored, a technical analyst he is not. Sotutu is a good player when games get goosey loosey, high skill set that fans of Zinzan recall with starry eyes. But you need power and mongrel at no8 in the Test arena and Sotutu gets found wanting there, much like Akira Ioane. No8’s like Zinzan and Ardie have bucketloads of mongrel and power and tenacity which allow the skill sets to flourish.
11 Go to commentsAn inside pass to attacker on the angle can make a drift defence look lead footed. Relies on fleet footed forward/s to get across from the breakdown. An argument for the smaller faster 7 perhaps?
3 Go to commentsSensational tackle. The reds one was late and rightly penalised. The other two were simultaneous with the pass. If nitpicking TMOs can’t find fault there clearly isn’t any.
1 Go to commentsBrumbies fully deserved their win on the back of their physicality and desire to control the ball. Xavier Numia, Asafo Aumua and Tyrel Lomax should be the ABs starting front row when we start our test schedule. They have “come of age” and have bested all they have faced as well as been dominant with ball in hand in making the gainline. With De Groot, Tamaiti Williams and Fletcher Newell backed up by Taukei'aho and Cody Taylor there's not an international front row that can trouble us. Can't wait to face the Boks over there, won't be no one point game this time.
5 Go to commentsKinda strange that he wasn’t with a premiership team or a higher level of rugby? Start playing late or something? With that kind of size and athleticism you’d think someone would have picked him up?
2 Go to commentsShows how much attitude matters. Last week the Brumbies got done, this week they dominated the tournament leaders, who were likely thinking they could cruise to victory.
5 Go to commentsA Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
5 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
11 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
5 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
3 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
2 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to comments