Northampton Saints chief Phil Dowson: Defending champions ‘desperate as ever to get better' next season
Published 25/07/2024 at 19:17 GMT+1
Northampton Saints director Phil Dowson believes pre-season will be a key period for his side as they prepare for the defence of their Premiership title. The Franklin's Gardens club will face Bath, the team they beat in the play-off final in June, in their opening match of the new campaign. Dowson is keen to back up their 2023/24 success, as he says he is "as desperate as ever to get better".
Highlights: Northampton claim Gallagher Premiership title after edging Bath in thriller
Video credit: TNT Sports
Northampton Saints may be heading into the 2024/25 Premiership season as defending champions, but Phil Dowson is still warning his players against resting on their laurels.
The head coach guided the club to their first title in a decade last year, as they beat Bath in the play-off final at Twickenham.
But attentions are now turning to backing up that success, as the new campaign draws ever closer.
And with the majority of the squad now back for pre-season training, Dowson says he is "as desperate as ever to get better" - and prove their achievements of the last 12 months were no fluke.
"Five weeks is enough time in which to digest it all, to get over it, understand it, enjoy it and then to really work out what we want to do next," he told BBC Sport.
"This pre-season is a lot shorter than last. We had a very long pre-season with the World Cup last year.
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"We've got to make the absolute most of our time in terms of those things we want to improve in our game, and make sure all those new players are integrated, understand the Saints DNA and what we're trying to do."
The 2024/25 season gets underway on the weekend of 20-22 September.
The Saints will start with a mouthwatering match against Bath, the team they beat to the title in June.
They will have a new-look side for that fixture though, following a number of high-profile departures this summer.
Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Sam Matavesi, Alex Moon and the Waller brothers, Ethan and Alex, have all left Franklin's Gardens.
Coming the other way, Nathan Langdon has arrived from Sale.
And Dowson admits the next few weeks, as the club build up to their opening friendly against Leinster on September 7, will be a key period.
"Pre-season's not about getting fit, it's about getting better," he added.
"We give the lads three weeks when they can do what they want, eat what they want - you hope they get away from Northampton, get away from rugby, have a good time.
"Then they get a two-week programme when they get back to get some movement, some weights into them so they come ready to train."
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