Northampton Saints secure fifth new deal in the space of a month

Gallagher Premiership leaders Northampton Saints have confirmed that scrum-half Tom James has signed a new deal at Franklin’s Gardens, becoming the fifth player to do so since December.

The 30-year-old follows Sam Graham, Robbie Smith, Fraser Dingwall and most recently Alex Coles in extending his stay with the Saints, who ascended to the top of the league with a 21-17 win over Sale Sharks on Saturday.

James arrived at Franklin’s Gardens in 2020 from Doncaster Knights in the Championship, and has gone on to make 69 appearances, including twelve this season.

Sharks head coach John Plumtree on why you can’t buy success

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Sharks head coach John Plumtree on why you can’t buy success

After signing the new deal, he said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have re-signed for the Club. It’s a great time to be a Saint, as you can see from our recent results, and given how tight-knit the squad is, it’s a very special group to be a part of.

“I still feel like I’m learning and improving all the time, and I’m really enjoying my rugby at the moment.

“A lot of that is down to the fact that there’s a coaching group here who do all they can to make you a better player each day.

“It’s such a talented squad and I have no doubt we have the ability to go on and win silverware, so I’m looking forward to giving everything I can to help the Club achieve that.”

Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson added: “TJ is a fantastic example of our recruitment strategy outside of the Academy working so well. Alongside the likes of Sam Graham and Robbie Smith, these are guys who came in at Saints looking for an opportunity to show what they are capable of.

“He’s one of the guys you really trust because he gets on with his work and he relishes pushing himself, working on his game, and quietly getting better.

“Tom’s got a wand of a left foot, and his ability to put the ball over the heads of wingers out of hand or by box kicking, as well as what he does to get the ball up and get our game moving, is so valuable for us.

“He’s also such a tenacious, physical and tough player who’s an absolute competitor every time he steps onto the pitch – we love him for that. He’s strong and fast which works both in defence and in attack, especially around those fringes he gets us going forward.”