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Northampton may not be the most glamorous destination in the world, but its squad delivers a great deal of thrills and drama.

In a place famous for footwear manufacturing, you might expect punting to be the Saints’ primary strategy. However under the director of rugby Phil Dowson, the team in their distinctive colors opt to run with the ball.

Despite playing for a quintessentially English town, they exhibit a flair synonymous with the finest Gallic practitioners of attacking rugby.

After Dowson and his colleague Sam Vesty assumed control in 2022, Northampton have won the English top flight and gone deep in the European competition – beaten by their Gallic opponents in the previous campaign's decider and ousted by the Irish province in a semi-final before that.

They sit atop the Prem table after multiple successes and a single stalemate and visit their West Country rivals on Saturday as the sole undefeated team, chasing a maiden victory at Ashton Gate since 2021.

It would be typical to think Dowson, who featured in 262 premier games for multiple clubs altogether, always planned to be a trainer.

“During my career, I never seriously considered it,” he states. “However as you age, you comprehend how much you appreciate the rugby, and what the normal employment entails. I spent some time at a banking firm doing an internship. You do the commute a several occasions, and it was tough – you realise what you possess and lack.”

Talks with former mentors culminated in a position at Northampton. Fast-forward a decade and Dowson guides a team ever more packed with internationals: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles lined up for the Red Rose facing the the Kiwis two weeks ago.

An emerging talent also had a major effect off the bench in England’s successful series while Fin Smith, down the line, will inherit the fly-half role.

Is the emergence of this exceptional group due to the Saints’ culture, or is it chance?

“It is a mix of each,” states Dowson. “I would acknowledge Chris Boyd, who basically just threw them in, and we had challenging moments. But the practice they had as a group is certainly one of the reasons they are so united and so gifted.”

Dowson also namechecks Jim Mallinder, an earlier coach at Franklin’s Gardens, as a significant mentor. “I was lucky to be coached by highly engaging people,” he adds. “Mallinder had a big impact on my professional journey, my coaching, how I interact with individuals.”

Saints execute appealing rugby, which became obvious in the example of the French fly-half. The Gallic player was a member of the French club defeated in the Champions Cup in last season when Tommy Freeman scored a triple. Belleau admired the style sufficiently to buck the pattern of British stars heading across the Channel.

“An associate called me and said: ‘There’s a Gallic number ten who’s in search of a club,’” Dowson says. “I replied: ‘We lack the money for a imported playmaker. Another target will have to wait.’

‘He’s looking for new challenges, for the possibility to challenge himself,’ my mate told me. That intrigued us. We met with him and his communication was outstanding, he was articulate, he had a funny side.

“We questioned: ‘What do you want from this?’ He said to be trained, to be driven, to be outside his comfort zone and beyond the French league. I was thinking: ‘Join us, you’re a fantastic individual.’ And he proved to be. We’re lucky to have him.”

Dowson says the young Pollock offers a specific vitality. Has he encountered anyone comparable? “Never,” Dowson answers. “Each person is unique but Pollock is distinct and special in many ways. He’s fearless to be himself.”

His sensational score against the Irish side previously illustrated his unusual ability, but various his animated in-game behavior have brought allegations of arrogance.

“On occasion comes across as overconfident in his actions, but he’s the opposite,” Dowson says. “And Henry’s being serious the whole time. Game-wise he has input – he’s a smart player. I feel at times it’s portrayed that he’s only a character. But he’s clever and great to have to have around.”

Hardly any directors of rugby would claim to have having a bromance with a colleague, but that is how Dowson frames his connection with Vesty.

“Together share an interest about diverse subjects,” he explains. “We have a reading group. He aims to discover various elements, aims to learn all there is, desires to try different things, and I think I’m the same.

“We discuss numerous topics beyond the sport: movies, reading, concepts, culture. When we met the Parisian club in the past season, the cathedral was undergoing restoration, so we had a brief exploration.”

A further date in the French nation is approaching: The Saints' comeback with the domestic league will be brief because the European tournament intervenes shortly. Their next opponents, in the vicinity of the Pyrenees, are up first on the coming weekend before the Bulls travel to the following weekend.

“I refuse to be arrogant sufficiently to {