Northampton

The Northampton Saints are one of the most popular rugby teams in the world. But, in addition to this, they're also one of the world's most successful.

The Northampton Saints Rugby team are a winning machine. In 2000, they were crowned as the Champions of Europe, and they were the English champions in 2014. In addition to this, the Northampton Saints Rugby team has also won the secondary European Rugby Challenge Cup in 2009 and 2014, the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2010 and the inaugural Premiership Rugby Cup in 2019. They have also won the Second Division title (now the RFU Championship) on three occasions.

Read on to discover even more about the Northampton Rugby team. On this page you'll find the latest Northampton Saints Rugby news and all of the team's fixtures & results

The Northampton Saints are officially known as the Northampton Rugby Football Club. However, when the side was first formed back in 1880, they were called Northampton St. James. They've had the nickname as 'The Saints' ever since. In addition, since the Northampton Saints Rugby team began competing in the 1880s, the team has developed a fierce rivalry with the Leicester Tigers. The so-called East Midlands Derby is always hotly contested and it's one of the fiercest rivalries in English rugby union.

Throughout the 20th century, the Northampton Saints were a successful side who competed well in local and national tournaments. In fact, the Northampton Rugby Club was only 20 years old when the first Saints player (a local farmer named Harry Weston) was awarded an England cap.

When rugby union became professional in 1995, the Saints were in a great position and challenged for honours almost immediately. They reached the Premiership in the 1996-97 season and in their third-ever season in the competition, they finished second. The year after, they won the European Rugby Champions Cup (also known as the Heineken Cup) for the first time. Since, the team has been highly-competitive in every competition and they've only ever been relegated from the Premiership once in 2006-07. However, the very next season they were promoted from National Division One (now the RFU Championship) with a massive 143 points.

Due to the team's success over the years, many illustrious players have represented the Northampton Rugby team. As a direct result of this, in 2004, the club established a Hall of Fame. As of 2020, 21 players have been inducted, including Samoan Superstar Pat Lam and former England and Lions player Nick Beal.