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'One of the most talented scrum-halves in the world': Mitchell signs new Saints deal
Northampton Saints have seen their third England international sign a new deal in as many days, with scrum-half Alex Mitchell committing his future to the club.
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This continues the Saints’ spree of contract extensions over the past month, as the 26-year-old becomes the seventh player to confirm they are staying at Franklin’s Gardens.
This is not only a standout season for Northampton, where they are top of the Gallagher Premiership and unbeaten so far in the Investec Champions Cup, but this has been a breakthrough season on the international front for the scrum-half. Mitchell emerged as England’s first choice No9 over the World Cup after initially missing out on Steve Borthwick’s squad. He is bound to add to his eleven caps in the upcoming Six Nations.
“Choosing to stay at Saints was an easy decision for me,” said Mitchell. “This Club is very special; the coaches, staff and supporters have had my back from day one, and I can’t think of anywhere better to be playing my rugby.
“Playing alongside lads I’ve grown up with week in, week out means a lot to me and I’m loving being a part of this environment and a maturing group of players.
“Everything that Phil Dowson, Sam Vesty and the rest of the coaches are trying to achieve is so clear, everyone – on and off the pitch – is pulling in the same direction and I think you’ve been able to see that hard work paying off over the last few months.”
“We’re an ambitious group, we want to win things together, and we’re pushing hard for that this season and beyond. And that’s exactly the kind of environment that I want to be in.
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“This has been a huge year already for me personally and I’m excited about what else is to come, with both Saints and England, over the next few seasons.”
Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson was full of praise for the club’s academy product, labelling him as one of the best scrum-halves in the world, praising the tempo he plays with.
Mitchell is fundamental to Northampton’s style, which is why Dowson described him as the “fulcrum” of the team.
He said: “Getting the ball up and playing fast is a crucial part of our DNA here at Saints, and Mitch is a huge driver of that.
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“He’s very good at creating and attacking space, particularly around the fringes, and his desire to improve is palpable. You can see how hard he’s worked on his kicking game for example; playing international rugby, it is evident how strong that is now.
“There are still areas he’s working on in his game, both for Northampton and for England, and I’ve no doubt he’ll continue to get better and better.”
“He’s still young, and there’s not another scrum-half in the Premiership who attacks the fringes like he does. You can always hear opposition teams calling him out in defence as he is such a fulcrum for us going forward.
“Alex is a massive signing for us; he’s one of the most talented scrum-halves in the world, and a big part of where we want this Club to go. So, we’re delighted that he’s so invested in what we’re doing and has signed on to remain part of this group moving forwards.”
Mitchell is set to add to his 119 Northampton appearances tomorrow when his side travel to Sandy Park to take on second place Exeter Chiefs.
Comments on RugbyPass
Look, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
169 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
169 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
169 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
169 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the deportation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
169 Go to commentsGOTTA 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.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
169 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🏉
169 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
169 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.
169 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
169 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
169 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.
169 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!
169 Go to comments