Northampton Saints can today confirm the Club’s coaching line-up for next season, with Alan Dickens confirmed as defence coach and Phil Dowson moving to forwards coach.

Last week Matt Ferguson was announced as Saints’ scrum coach, becoming the third new name on the Club’s coaching roster after incoming director of rugby Chris Boyd and backs & attack coach Sam Vesty.

Boyd will arrive at Franklin’s Gardens from the Hurricanes upon the conclusion of the Super Rugby season, while Vesty makes the journey across the Midlands from Worcester Warriors – but two former Saints players in Dickens and Dowson will complete the impressive line-up of English coaches.

Dickens took charge of first-team affairs for most of this season as interim head coach, and will return to the Club’s defence coach role in which he excelled during Northampton’s trophy-laden period between 2012 and 2016.

Meanwhile Dowson – who made 187 first-team appearances in a six-year playing career at Franklin’s Gardens – moves into the vacant forwards coach position after impressing in his first season in coaching this term.

“I’m thrilled that our coaching set-up is now in place with plenty of time to spare before preseason, and I’m confident Alan, Sam, Phil and Matt will complement each other well,” said Boyd.