'Outstanding': Phil Dowson blown away by star signings performance

Signing Anthony Belleau has already started to pay off for Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson after the France fly-half’s crucial role in his side’s victory over Leicester in the Gallagher Prem.

A week after his penalty secured a dramatic win at Gloucester, Belleau, playing out of position after replacing the injured Tommy Freeman, scored two tries to help settle a thrilling East Midlands derby in the Saints’ favour.

The lead changed hands nine times at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens as Northampton made it back-to-back wins on an afternoon they welcomed back four British & Irish Lions.

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Dowson said: “Fin Smith has really cemented himself in the international scene, so therefore he will be away for large parts of the season.

“That’s why someone like Anthony Belleau is so important and I think that, coupled with the fact that our training level is dictated by the players who aren’t playing, sometimes you need somebody to manage that non-playing group to play like Leicester, to play like Bath.

“And credit to Tony, he’s been excellent – in his second language – and the whole premise of him coming to this league was to be coached to try something different, to have a different environment.

“I think that attitude is really underestimated, in terms of how valuable that is to our group.

“It was unbelievable to come in – and come out of position as well.

“[He was] outstanding and showed again what a cool customer he is and what a quality individual he is.”

Northampton led 17-13 at half-time as tries from Smith, Edoardo Todaro and Tom Pearson were replied by a Freddie Steward score and two Billy Searle penalties.

As the lead continued to lurch back and forth, Belleau’s two finishes and Smith’s penalty for Saints held off Harry Wells’ try and penalties from Searle and James O’Connor.

Leicester head coach Geoff Parling said: “They (Saints) live off inaccuracies and are incredibly good at it.

“I thought the game was there for us. It shows how tight this game is – two bounces of the ball, two chips, and the game can go, but I thought first of all we could have been more accurate in what we do. With that, I mean with the ball and our set-piece.

“I thought our collisions in the first half lacked a bit of bite as well.

“They were all things we can control, but we’ve got to control them.

“I thought we did lots of good stuff – I thought our game plan and the way we worked with each other again was good.

“It just shows that when you play a top team away from home, you need a bit more than just effort, you need to make your own luck a little bit.”