News: Saints Bolster Front Row Options
By ComeOnYouSaints.com
January 16 2013
Northampton Saints today announced three new contracts which will bolster the squad's front row options for the 2013/14 season and beyond.
England international Alex Corbisiero is joining the Saints in the summer, while current first teamers Alex Waller and Tom Mercey have both put pen to paper on new contracts to stay at Franklin's Gardens.
Corbisiero, who arrives from London Irish, is regarded as one of the top young props in England. Still just 24 years old, he has racked up 76 first team appearances for the Exiles and 18 England test caps, including in the successful 2011 Six Nations campaign.
Corbisiero - who has played at every age group for his country - was included in England's Six Nations Elite Player Squad last week and the New York-born loosehead says that he is excited by the prospect of joining the Saints.
"I've really enjoyed my time at London Irish and am grateful for everything that the club has given me," he said.
"I'm looking forward to what will be a new challenge at Saints next summer. There is a great culture and hopefully I can help the team succeed whilst continuing my progression as a player, and I'm sure that Franklin's Gardens will be a good environment for me in that regard."
Waller, 22, has become one of the most recognisable names on the Saints team sheet, having been the only player to have featured in every first team matchday squad since the start of the 2011/12 season, something which helped him win the 2012 Saints Young Player of the Season award.
The Kettering-born Senior Academy graduate now has 78 appearances in the black, green and gold under his belt - including the 2011 Heineken Cup final and 2012 LV= Cup final - and says that he is hungry for more.
"It wasn't a hard decision to make," Waller commented. "My family are in the area, I've been playing here for the last four or five years and I feel that I have developed a lot as a player. I want to keep developing and hope that I can do that under the guidance of the coaches and the set-up here at the Saints.
"I'm still learning every game and have played more than I thought I would, especially last season. Hopefully I've become an established member of the squad and can keep on pushing for a starting spot."
Mercey is another prop who is still relatively young despite having amassed considerable experience at first team level in Aviva Premiership Rugby and the Heineken Cup, with nearly a hundred appearances split between the Saints and former club, Saracens and with England Saxons honours under his belt.
Now in his third season at Franklin's Gardens, Mercey says that there is still more to come from the squad.
"The next few years are going to be exciting," he said. "People forget that we're still a young group, and over the next couple of years we'll have the opportunities to step up and show what we can do.
"It was a simple decision to sign again with the Saints. I've really enjoyed my time at the club and all you have to do is look at the quality of player that we have in the squad. But a lot of us are still relatively early in our careers and there is more development and improvement to come, and I'm excited that I'm going to be a part of it."
Director of rugby Jim Mallinder said that the three contracts were important in the development of the Saints squad ahead of next season.
"All three players have plenty of experience and because they are still in their early-to-mid twenties we believe that there is plenty more to come from them," the Saints boss commented. "I'm delighted that all three props have put pen to paper to be a part of the Saints squad going forward."
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We still need someone else to fight with Mercey. Are there any old props knocking about that want a year or 2?
Still need to bolster the starboard side of the front row. Tom M can't do it all himself. Good news though.
If he is a tighthead it may be that the coaches will start trusting him with senior gametime in the same way that they have done with his bro over the past 3 seasons.
If Corbs is picked for England that would immediately leave us very light and with a likely 3 out, we MUST have a huge chunk of Salary cap available
I think Cameron Shepherd and Joe van Niekerk will tell you how strict Saints are with medical problems. We know our medical team is world class - just look at Tom Wood. A year ago you might have questioned whether he'd ever play properly again yet he turned up to be MOM in one of England's greatest ever performances just last month. Hopefully they can work the same magic with Corbs.
Lets hope that they still come rolling in.
However I will welcome him with open arms and pray that he can perform for the Saints as well as the departing props have done.
FHS.
having said that i'm sure the club will persist with developing him as a potential double-sided player as that's like gold dust. from Ethan's point of view being an all rounder can add to his value, and therefore his game time, and next season may decide whether they continue looking at his potential on the right hand side .
it might show up quite early if he's just not cut out for tighthead, but he does have natural size and natural power.
if it's not for him, however, he should revert swiftly to his day job where he's already up to premiership standards.
lastly. tightheads get more money than looseheads and that's also an attraction.
I'm sure saints can arrange to be more than competitive in the forwards next term.
it will be interesting to see how determinedly we pursue KF. like the New Hampshire Primary, it will be taken as early evidence of intentions.
If I recall last year the new signings /re signings were done in batches. Pack, backs, backroom etc
Expect many more annoucements like this in the next few weeks
"sup·port·er"
Noun:
1.A person who approves of and encourages someone or something (typically a public figure, a movement or party, or a policy).
2.A person who is actively interested in and wishes success for a particular sports team.
after the Davies debacle last year, they need to send a signal that they are going to sort it. if KF slips out of the bag, plan B needs to be in place fairly swiftly.
the management are in a different situation from last year.
# whynotkahn?
also being very pleased we signed Woody, who was a hot property.
You can't always get what you want, But if you try sometimes well you might find, You get what you need.
Richards/Jagger
Quote:Former Hollywood Saint
Remember Big Evil (Euan Murray) was unstoppable, then got an injury in his knee (if memory serves) and he wasn't the same afterwards.
Ankle wasn't it?
Oh and good news on the signings.
Welcome Mr C
If we can keep him fit we could have a very special player available for our 'cup final' team. His work in the loose is immense (gets a lot of turnovers for a prop, carries well and makes quite a few tackles) and his scrummaging has come on in leaps and bounds over the last few years.
Also, props/front rowers seem to burst onto the scene at a younger age than of yore. When I think of Gary Pearce and John Olver, I recall them being quite wizened by the time they reached their peak, and Tom Smith, too. But our own Dyland and the wonderful Wallers have matured much quicker.
My point is that there are a few more youngsters whizzing up through the Academy, about whom Broonie could draw a character reference...
*I could agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong...*
Quote:Saint Dom
But our own Dyland and the wonderful Wallers have matured much quicker.
Wonderful Wallers
WonderWallers!! Hah!
Cue song......
The wonderful thing about Wallers are Wallers are wonderful things!
Their tops are made out of rubber, their bottoms are made out of springs!
They're bouncey, bouncey, bouncey, bouncey, fun, fun, fun, fun, fun...
But the most wonderful thing about Wallers is, there plenty more to come!
Quote:ChrisG
Yes Stockers I kinda got that bit lol
I know. I knew that all along!
