News: Dowson and McMillan Sign On Again At Saints
By ComeOnYouSaints.com
March 15 2013
Northampton Saints today announced that Phil Dowson has become the latest player to put his pen to paper on a new contract to stay at the club.
This is Dowson's third deal with the club and comes at the end of four years in which he became the first Saint to lift a major domestic trophy and make the step up to full international rugby.
He has played 116 times for the Saints and scored 21 tries for 105 points. But while Dowson has been led a trophy-winning side and been a part of the squad which reached the Heineken Cup final and three successive Aviva Premiership semi-finals, the 31-year-old believes that the best is yet to come at Franklin's Gardens.
"I've become very settled in Northampton since arriving here four years ago," he said. "I've had a great time and made a lot of friends and that's born out by the fact that I want to stay here.
"It is a factor in making a decision whether to stay or not, if you're settled in a place and happy to live there, but the bigger issues at play are the club as a whole, the management, the playing staff and the ambition and supporter base, which has been unbelievable since I've been here.
"You see the guys who we've signed, the guys coming through the Academy system, and the guys who we've re-signed and we've got a strong squad going forward. We've got plenty of things still to prove, silverware we want to win and to try and achieve something as a squad."
Director of rugby Jim Mallinder says that Dowson is an important player within the club's set-up.
"Phil is very much one of our senior players, on and off the field," he commented. "Regardless of whether he is named captain or not he always leads by example and puts in one top quality performance after another.
"His levels of consistency and durability, not to mention his experience at all levels of the game, mean that he will be an important player for us as we continue to build a squad we believe can compete at the top end of every competition we play in next season."
The Saints have also revealed that hooker Ross McMillan has also extended his stay at Franklin's Gardens.
"Ross is the type of player that is good to have in a squad," Mallinder added. "He always works hard, gives 100 percent in training and in matches, and does not let the side down. He's still young in terms of front row and has played well in some of our recent big games, as well as towards the end of last season, and is improving all the time."
If you do not already have an account Click here to Register.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2013:03:15:14:46:43 by Phil..
He is highly respected by the players as a leader and also by England during his time in the EPS. Good that he's staying with us, rather than hunting the Euro now that his international ambitions seem to be unfruitful.
Jim and the coaches obviously have great confidence in him as a player and a leader - and so do I!!
Even though we have many options at back row, Dowse is one of the outstanding players at the club and fully deserves an extension. I hope it's a long contract...
*I could agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong...*
the back five group still looks strong, with Craig, Nutley, Harrison almost certainly pushing for time behind/among the more mature elements.Any of those three could very well make the jump from "promising" to "excellent" next year.
not sure i'd quite go along with Dows in terms of squad strength yet.
There are more departures to come and we need a bit of quality inbound ; the two props won't amount to like for like replacements for the departures , Kahn looks a very fine player, but there are weaknesses to be addressed and so far we've heard nothing positive. as Leon said, actions not words; I assume that relates to the squad as well as the pork rolls?
Not sure where people have got the idea that Ross McMillan is a mere journeyman; he was the England U21 starting hooker after Dylan's year and doing well at Glaws until a horrible knee injury cost him 2 years and he had to go part time. he's actually a pedigree player and a very good bit of recruiting last season when he let nobody down and he's massively better this season already. phsically he's a work in progress as he had been playing championship and ND1 for 2 years after his injury, but he's already changing his body shape and another preseason should just about top it off.Hooker's an important position at which to have both depth and continuity and we didn't miss a beat when he stepped in for Mikey.
And those in the know wrong again eh? Happy days!
But he seemed to have been overtaken in the pecking order when Mikey Heywood got the nod, so I haven't seen a great deal of SuperMc.
Needless to say, I agree with broonie and reckon we are well hooked up for the present...
*I could agree with you - but then we'd both be wrong...*
----------------------------------------
Please sponsor me for Saints with Heart [www.justgiving.com]
Quote:SaintMaul
Dows' statement of resolve and burning desire within the squad to push on and win major silverware sounds a lot more positive than John Sleighthome's tweeterings of squad disharmony.
Pravda.