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Northampton isn't exactly the most tropical destination globally, but its rugby union team provides a great deal of thrills and drama.

In a place famous for footwear manufacturing, you might expect kicking to be the Northampton's modus operandi. Yet under head coach Phil Dowson, the team in green, black and gold opt to run with the ball.

Despite playing for a quintessentially English town, they display a style synonymous with the best Gallic exponents of attacking rugby.

After Dowson and his colleague Sam Vesty assumed control in 2022, the Saints have won the Premiership and gone deep in the Champions Cup – defeated by Bordeaux-Bègles in the ultimate match and ousted by Leinster in a semi-final before that.

They lead the competition ladder after four wins and a draw and travel to Bristol on Saturday as the just one without a loss, seeking a initial success at their opponent's ground since 2021.

It would be typical to think Dowson, who featured in 262 top-flight games for multiple clubs combined, always planned to be a manager.

“During my career, I never seriously considered it,” he says. “Yet as you get older, you realise how much you enjoy the rugby, and what the everyday life is like. I spent some time at Metro Bank doing work experience. You do the commute a several occasions, and it was tough – you grasp what you have going for you.”

Conversations with former mentors culminated in a role at the Saints. Fast-forward a decade and Dowson leads a squad progressively packed with internationals: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles were selected for the national side versus the the Kiwis two weeks ago.

An emerging talent also had a major effect from the replacements in England’s perfect autumn while the number ten, down the line, will inherit the No 10 jersey.

Is the emergence of this remarkable generation attributable to the team's ethos, or is it luck?

“It's a combination of the two,” comments Dowson. “My thanks go to an ex-coach, who basically just threw them in, and we had challenging moments. But the experience they had as a group is certainly one of the reasons they are so tight and so gifted.”

Dowson also cites Jim Mallinder, an earlier coach at the club's home, as a major influence. “I was lucky to be coached by really interesting personalities,” he adds. “Mallinder had a major effect on my career, my management style, how I manage others.”

The team execute attractive the game, which was clearly evident in the instance of the French fly-half. The Frenchman was involved with the French club beaten in the European competition in last season when Freeman notched a three tries. The player liked what he saw sufficiently to go against the flow of English talent joining Top 14 sides.

“A friend phoned me and stated: ‘There’s a Gallic number ten who’s looking for a team,’” Dowson says. “My response was: ‘There's no money for a French fly-half. A different option will have to wait.’

‘He’s looking for a fresh start, for the possibility to prove his worth,’ my friend told me. That caught my attention. We spoke to Anthony and his language skills was outstanding, he was articulate, he had a sense of humour.

“We questioned: ‘What are you seeking from this?’ He answered to be trained, to be pushed, to be outside his comfort zone and outside the domestic competition. I was thinking: ‘Welcome aboard, you’re a great person.’ And he has been. We’re fortunate to have him.”

Dowson states the 20-year-old Pollock brings a specific energy. Does he know a player similar? “No,” Dowson answers. “Each person is original but Pollock is distinct and special in many ways. He’s not afraid to be who he is.”

His spectacular score against their opponents last season demonstrated his exceptional talent, but various his animated in-game actions have resulted in allegations of cockiness.

“He sometimes seems arrogant in his actions, but he’s not,” Dowson says. “Furthermore Pollock is not taking the piss all the time. Game-wise he has contributions – he’s no fool. I believe on occasion it’s shown that he’s just this idiot. But he’s intelligent and a positive influence within the team.”

Not many managers would describe themselves as sharing a close bond with a head coach, but that is how Dowson characterizes his connection with Vesty.

“Together possess an interest about different things,” he explains. “We maintain a literary circle. He desires to explore all aspects, wants to know everything, wants to experience different things, and I feel like I’m the similar.

“We talk about lots of things away from rugby: movies, reading, thoughts, culture. When we met our French rivals previously, the cathedral was undergoing restoration, so we had a quick look.”

A further fixture in Gall is approaching: Northampton’s comeback with the Prem will be temporary because the continental event kicks in soon. The French side, in the shadow of the Pyrenees, are the opening fixture on matchday before the Bulls arrive at soon after.

“I’m not going to be presumptuous to the extent to {