Chris Boyd's blunt verdict on Northampton's underwhelming 2020

Chris Boyd is relieved to see the back of 2020 on a winning note following a horrible calendar year results wise in charge of Northampton. Last Saturday’s 29-10 Premiership win over Worcester was Saints’ first in 14 league and cup matches stretching back to an August 22 victory at London Irish.  

It was also just their sixth win in 24 Premiership and Champions Cup games in the past twelve months, a disappointing run of form he is by no means convinced is now past tense on the back of last weekend’s success which finally put an end to an agonising winless run. 

Speaking ahead of next Sunday’s visit to London Irish, a fellow rival who are also on seven points following a disappointing start to the 2020/21 Premiership, Boyd said: “There was a relief that we got the five points.

Brian Moore in conversation with Jim Hamilton

Brian Moore in conversation with Jim Hamilton

“There was an acknowledgement by all that there we some things that we can measure and control had got better and have continued to get better and they contributed to the result, but there were some parts we have still got to be better on. 

“From an outcome point of view, really pleased to get five points. From a performance point of view, we know there is a lot left in the tank. 

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“One win doesn’t give you the right to do anything… pleased to have won but when we win three or four games we might start thinking we are on the right track. We are a long way short of that now.”

Reflecting on 2020, a year that is ending with Northampton reporting a first positive test result for Covid for a decent length of time, Boyd added: “The biggest story in town has been the Covid and it has been very difficult, financially very difficult, emotionally very difficult, from a team point of view, from a whole society really. 

“Northampton Saints losing a few games on the trot pales into insignificance compared to what is happening around the world with the pandemic. That is the biggest news story. But we’re still very disappointed with 2020. 

“There won’t be much going on anybody’s highlights reel but the nice thing for me is we got through it safely. We have got a good group of men and we’re intact, we’re well connected and we’re determined to be significantly better in 2021. 

“We have nailed our cloth to the mast. This group is contracted to Saints for the long term, for the majority of them, so we’re not going anywhere other than trying to get better as a group.”

Switching to the current situation in the camp ahead of the trip to Irish, Boyd added: “We actually had our first positive test for a significant number of weeks that came back today [Tuesday] and that was from an external source that has been identified, from a sibling of one of the boys. 

“The boys have been really vigilant, the club has been really vigilant. I know you can’t control things often when these things happen and it’s like general society, you let your guard down in one situation and you’re in trouble. We’re not saying other people haven’t been very good about it but so far we have been pretty decent.”

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— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) December 29, 2020