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Northampton confirm 60-strong Dowson squad for 2022/23 season
By Liam Heagney
New Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson will lead a group of 60 players in his first season at the helm – up from 58 in 2021/22 – with 19 new faces arriving at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, including Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Angus Scott-Young, James Ramm, Callum Braley and Ethan Waller.
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The coaching group is reshaped for the upcoming campaign as Dowson moves into the director of rugby position at Northampton and Sam Vesty makes a step up as the head coach. Former Saints lock James Craig also transitions from the club’s academy programme into the senior coaching group, joining first-team coaches Ian Vass and Matt Ferguson.
Former director of rugby Chris Boyd takes up a new advisory role with the club, providing strategic counsel to the coaching group by both working remotely from New Zealand and visiting Northampton during the season.
In total, 70 per cent (42/60) of the Northampton senior squad have come through the Saints academy system, an increase of three per cent from 2021/22. Mark Hopley (head of academy) will continue to lead the senior academy group of 21 players and is supported by Jake Sharp, Will Parkin, and Jim Henry, as well as Alex O’Dowd (academy programme manager).
PROPS (11)
Oisín Heffernan, Paul Hill, Danny Hobbs-Awoyemi, Emmanuel Iyogun, Ehren Painter, George Patten*, Alfie Petch, Ed Prowse*, Nick Tarr*, Alex Waller, Ethan Waller;
HOOKERS (7)
Callum Burns*, James Fish, Aston Gradwick-Light*, Mikey Haywood, Sam Matavesi, Robbie Smith, Craig Wright*;
LOCKS AND LOOSE FORWARDS (19)
Emeka Atuanya*, Juarno Augustus, Alex Coles, Joseph Gaffan*, Sam Graham, Aaron Hinkley, Geordie Irvine*, Courtney Lawes, Tom Lockett*, Lewis Ludlam, Alex Moon, Brandon Nansen, David Ribbans, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Angus Scott-Young, Kayde Sylvester*, Josh Weru*, Karl Wilkins, Duane RatuVilai Willemsen*;
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SCRUM-HALVES (4)
Callum Braley, Jake Garside*, Tom James, Alex Mitchell;
FLY-HALVES (3)
Dan Biggar, James Grayson, Matthew Arden*;
CENTRES (8)
Fraser Dingwall, Ethan Grayson*, Rory Hutchinson, Archie Kean*, Tom Litchfield*, Joel Matavesi, Matt Proctor; Toby Thame*;
WINGERS (5)
Tom Collins, James Ramm, Courtnall Skosan, Frankie Sleightholme*, Ollie Sleightholme;
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FULL-BACKS (3)
Tommy Freeman, George Furbank, George Hendy*.
(*Senior academy 2022/23)
70% of the squad from the academy - that's some achievement, and something other clubs should be pushing to achieve. Would be interesting to see the figures across the Prem