Mallinder signs new contract with the Saints

Posted on May 17, 2012 in Northampton

Northampton Saints today announced that director of rugby Jim Mallinder has signed a new contract with the club, which will extend his tenure at Franklin’s Gardens until at least 2015.

In just five short years Mallinder has taken the Saints from the pain of relegation to being considered one of the top clubs in Aviva Premiership Rugby and in the Heineken Cup.

Indeed the club has not enjoyed such consistent levels of success – four trophies; five finals in five years, including the 2011 Heineken Cup final; and three successive Aviva Premiership Rugby semi-finals – since the 1950s and 60s.

Individuals have also flourished under the Yorkshireman’s guidance, with a modern-day record of eight players chosen in England’s 2012 Six Nations Elite Player Squad and no fewer than six England regulars having made their international debut since joining the club.

Mallinder has also rejuvenated the Saints Academy, appointing Dusty Hare to manage a production line which is now providing the first team squad with a steady stream of exciting young and talented players.

Already Aviva Premiership Rugby’s longest-serving current director of rugby, by the end of his new contract Mallinder will have been in charge of the team at Franklin’s Gardens for eight years, stability which chairman Leon Barwell says is vitally important for the continued growth and development of the club.

“Jim signing his new contract is terrific news for the club and underpins our aspirations for the future,” he said. “As we see so often in sports across the world having continuity of management is crucial in a club’s long-term success, and this is exactly what Jim brings to the Saints.

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Saints front row sign new contracts

Posted on Dec 13, 2010 in Rugby News

Northampton Saints today announced that front rowers Brian Mujati and Brett Sharman have both signed new contracts with the club.

Both players have made massive contributions to the Saints since their arrivals at Franklin’s Gardens.

Tight-head prop Mujati has been one of the standout performers during 2010, his contributions in the set piece and in the loose leading to the cult cheer of ‘Moo for Mooj’ among the Saints supporters.

Mujati, 26, has 38 appearances and four tries to his name, adding to his 12 South African international caps won before arriving in Northampton, and is looking forward to wearing the black, green and gold on many more occasions.

“I’ve been made to feel very welcome by everyone at the club and in the town,” he said. “I’m certainly happy to sign on again with the Saints. We have had some success but we’re still improving as a squad and I’m sure that there will be more to come in the near future.”

23-year-old English qualified hooker Sharman is another player who could reach 50 appearances this season. So far he has racked up 45 in just over two years at Franklin’s Gardens, and won man of the match in the Saints’ Aviva Premiership Rugby win over Newcastle at the end of October.

“It was a very easy decision to sign again,” he said. “The club’s going in the right direction and I want to be a part of that in the future. The coaches have taught me a lot since I’ve been here and it seems to be paying off now, and hopefully this will continue in the future.

“The people at the club have been great and my girlfriend and I are settled in the town, especially now we’ve bought a house. Northampton is a rugby-crazy town which is good to live in and I’ve made a lot of mates here. It is also one of the best crowds to play in front of. They’re behind you every step of the way and it drives you to perform.”

Director of rugby Jim Mallinder said he was delighted that both players had signed new contracts with the club.

“It is massively important that we have a squad full of quality and Brian and Brett have showed they have what it takes to compete at the top end of the Premiership,” he said. “They have both improved a lot as players over the past year, and their performances reflect the work they have put in off the field. But they are still young men and we believe they have their best years in front of them, and we’re delighted that they will be spending them at Franklin’s Gardens.”

Murray leaves the Saints

Posted on Dec 13, 2010 in Rugby News

Northampton Saints today announced that Euan Murray has left the club by mutual consent.

Murray, 30, joined the Saints after the 2007 Rugby World Cup. In his three years at Franklin’s Gardens he played 61 times for the Saints, including in the 2009 European Challenge Cup final, scored two tries and represented the club on the 2009 British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa.

He leaves the club with immediate effect and with director of rugby Jim Mallinder wishing him the best for the future.

“Euan is a big personality and has helped the club become competitive again at the top end of the Premiership and in Europe,” he said. “He has played well for us and we have enjoyed having him here at Franklin’s Gardens. We wish him all the best for the future.”

“I’ve enjoyed playing at Franklin’s Gardens in front of its great supporters and I will take a lot of happy memories with me,” said Murray. “I wish everyone at Franklin’s Gardens all the best for the future.”

Consistency earns Sanderson a contract

Posted on Nov 15, 2010 in Rugby News

Northampton Saints today announced that Dan Sanderson has been awarded with a contract until the end of the 2010/11 season.

Sanderson caught the eye in the LV= Cup Round 1 draw at Saracens. But it is just the latest step that has seen the 26-year-old lock rise up the league ladder from Midlands One East to the verge of Aviva Premiership Rugby.

Twelve months ago Sanderson was on the books of Derby RFC, playing the likes of Old Northamptonians, Leighton Buzzard and Dunstablians. But after being introduced to the Saints by Academy manager Alan Dickens in early 2010 Sanderson played ‘A’ League rugby for the Wanderers and spent the summer combining training with the Saints first team with his job as a plasterer.

As well as playing Wanderers rugby again in the early part of the 2010/11 season Sanderson has gained Championship experience with Birmingham and Solihull, for whom he scored the clinching try in the Bees’ 35-33 win at Bristol.

And despite now having his Saints debut under his belt, Sanderson still quite cannot believe how quickly his rugby career has blossomed.

“It’s all come as a bit of a surprise,” he said. “I’ve certainly fallen into it. I was playing for Derby and joking around with Alan Dickens about playing for the Wanderers. He got me down here and it’s all gone from there. I’d certainly not considered rugby as a career up until that point.

“It’s been a lot harder than I expected, but all of the lads have made me feel welcome and at home, especially Paul Diggin, who’s put a roof over my head! Alan and Mark Hopley have given me a lot of feedback and I get comments from Jim and Nobby as well.

“I was really excited to make my debut, and felt honoured to be trusted with the chance. I’d hoped I might get on the bench in the LV= Cup, but I didn’t expect to get a full 80 minutes.

“I’ve got a contract, but now I know I have to prove my worth.”

Director of rugby Jim Mallinder said that the contract reflected the hard work that Sanderson had put in over the past few months.

“Dan has shown his commitment to developing his rugby by combining his job with his training but it is not just that which has earned him a contract,” Mallinder said. “He has talent as well, which he has shown consistently both in the Wanderers and with Birmingham and Solihull.

“Now with the contract he has time to apply himself full-time on the training pitch and in the gym and we will be looking for him to improve even further over the next few months.”

Ends

Note to eds:
Brief biog and stats for Dan Sanderson
Position: Lock
Date of Birth: 18/08/1984
Place of Birth: Leicester
Height: 6’8”; 2.04m
Weight: 17st 5lbs; 110kg

Tonga’uiha voted Premiership Player of the month

Posted on Nov 12, 2010 in English Rugby, Northampton, Premiership

Soane Tonga’uiha has been voted the Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month.

The Northampton prop was picked for October by a panel made up of rugby media representatives from print, TV, radio and the photographers, who all watch Aviva Premiership Rugby on a regular basis.

Rugby World editor Paul Morgan, who chairs the panel, commented: “Soane has made a huge impact during his time at Northampton and this award shows how consistent he has been over a number of months.

“A man mountain, he is a fans’ favourite and one of the foreign players to have the biggest impact on Aviva Premiership Rugby this season!”

Tonga’uiha, who has represented Tonga and the Pacific Islanders and played 127 times for the Saints, has scored five times for his club in Aviva Premiership Rugby this season, including braces notched against Leicester Tigers and London Wasps, and his eye-catching performances in the tight and the loose have helped Northampton reach second place in the league table, just one point behind London Irish.

“Obviously I’m honoured and very grateful I’ve got the award, even though I don’t know how I got it!” said Tonga’uiha. “It reflects the way the forwards have played, especially in the last few games, and I‘m the lucky one out of the hat to get the award. It goes down to how well we’ve played as a pack. The rest of the forwards have done all the work and I’ve been the one at the back getting the tries!

“This year we’re being a bit more consistent week in, week out, and there is more calmness in the squad from one to 15.”

Jim Mallinder, the Saints’ director of rugby, said that Tonga’uiha is an important figure at Franklin’s Gardens, adding that there is more to come from the big prop.

“Soane has worked with Dorian West, Nick Johnston and the rest of the coaches and backroom staff to become an improved player over the past few years,” he said. “The performances he has put in this season show that this work is starting to pay off. Soane is an influential figure in the tight and the loose and it is good for him that he has received this recognition.

“However Soane is still a young man and we believe that there is more to come from him as he gains more experience in Aviva Premiership Rugby and in European competition.”

Heather Smith, Head of Sponsorship for Premiership Rugby sponsors Aviva added: “Soane is a worthy winner of the second Aviva Premiership Rugby Player of the Month award. He extols all the virtues of a consummate professional and has allied that to his drive, commitment and passion to help Northampton Saints command a position at the top end of the table.”