Can 'best Northampton team ever' become one of English rugby's greats?
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- Northampton Saints beat Exeter Chiefs 26-17 in the Prem Rugby final at Allianz Stadium, their second title in three seasons and third overall, with George Hendy's second-half double doing the damage while Exeter were down to 14 men after Dafydd Jenkins was sin-binned.
- BBC rugby union correspondent Chris Jones told BBC Radio 5 Live Northampton are "building a dynasty," pointing to 14 academy graduates in their matchday 23 and a bond between players and supporters as the foundation.
- Captain George Furbank ended his Saints career with a trophy before departing for Harlequins, telling BBC Sport the final whistle left him with "relief, happiness, sadness, all merged into one."
- Flanker Henry Pollock, 21, was named player of the match in a breakthrough 18 months that has already included England and British & Irish Lions debuts, calling the Twickenham final "something you dream of as a little kid."
- Director of rugby Phil Dowson has now lifted two Prem titles and led Saints to last season's Champions Cup final (lost to Bordeaux) despite an eighth-place league finish — and Chris Ashton said the 44-year-old "should already be being suggested" for the England head coach job.
Why it matters: Saints' academy-first model — 14 of their matchday 23 came through their own system — has now produced two Premiership titles in three years, and ex-England scrum-half Matt Dawson declared this crop "the best Northampton team there has ever been." With director of rugby Phil Dowson now being publicly tipped for the England job, the club's success has direct implications for how English rugby develops talent and who coaches the national side next.
