DOWSON GETS NEW DEAL

Phil Dowson has secured a new deal with the Northampton Saints. The 29-year-old, who can play in all three back-row positions, has featured 47 times since joining from Newcastle in the summer of 2009.

“I wanted to stay and the club seemed pretty keen for me to stay, so it was a no brainer really,” he said.

“We set high standards, which come from the top, and the quality of the squad shows that we need to be ambitious.”