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Rory Hutchinson reveals the reason why he has signed a contract extension at Northampton
Northampton Saints have announced that Scotland international Rory Hutchinson has extended his contract at Franklin’s Gardens.
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The 23-year-old, who came through the Saints academy system, has made 46 appearances to date for the club, scoring 13 tries.
Hutchinson’s form during the second half of the 2018/19 campaign saw him named Saints’ breakthrough player for the season.
He also collected club and Premiership player of the month awards and was rewarded with a maiden call-up into the Scotland team before the World Cup, making his first international start by scoring twice in a warm-up Test against Georgia.
“I feel like I have been living out my dream over the last six months or so, playing for Northampton Saints and making my international debut for Scotland,” he said.
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“Franklin’s Gardens is a fantastic place to play rugby; I trust in Chris Boyd and what he and all the coaches here are doing at the club, so I’ve no doubt that this is the best place for me to develop even further and win more silverware in the coming years.
“Ever since I first pulled on the jersey, I was desperate to win trophies with Saints and that ambition definitely still burns brightly. There are some seriously gifted players around me in Northampton, and I’m really confident together we can achieve a lot over the coming years.”
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Born in Cambridge, Hutchinson joined Saints academy from Shelford RFC before breaking into the first-team squad during the 2016/17 season. His try against Exeter Chiefs on his first club start won Northampton’s try of the season award.
The RFU have taken the next step in recruiting the pathway staff for the 2019/20 season
– reports @alexshawsport https://t.co/REtmVjIxxP
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 25, 2019
Three years later, he became the 1,104th player to represent Scotland when he made his Test debut off the bench against France in August. “Rory is a high-skill player who has made a significant step up in his performances over the last 12 months,” said Saints’ director of rugby Chris Boyd.
“Right from when I arrived in Northampton, I was impressed with his skill set, willingness to try new things and the effort he makes to improve his all-round game.
“He has seen that pay off with awards and a call-up to play for Scotland this summer, all of which was richly deserved, but crucially he has not taken his foot off the accelerator and has picked up where he left off so far this season in trying to fulfil his huge potential.
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“I’ve no doubt Rory will be an important player for us over the coming seasons, and our supporters love watching him play, so we’re thrilled to see him sign on again.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments