Saints had a point to prove against Newcastle, says Dowson

Northampton Saints channelled the disappointment of the previous week’s loss to Saracens to ‘prove a point’ and run in nine unanswered tries to defeat Newcastle Falcons, according to Phil Dowson.

In their final match of 2024, the men in Black, Green and Gold were ruthless on both sides of the ball at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens to claim a 61-0 victory.

It was the perfect way to bounce back from the Gallagher Premiership defeat in North London in Gallagher Premiership Round 8, giving reason for optimism heading into the New Year and the second half of the 2024/25 league season.

“We were way better and clearly that’s where the frustration comes from, because we have so much capability and quality in the group,” said director of rugby Dowson. 

“I think we did [have a point to prove]. I know the fans were disappointed from last week, as was the coaching group, but it’s the players who feel it most of all, they are out there and don’t want to be in that position. 

Saints went in at the break 40-0 ahead with Trevor Davison scoring twice and he was joined on the scoresheet by Alex Coles, Alex Mitchell, Tommy Freeman and Josh Kemeny – who produced a strong comeback after two months on the sidelines. 

“To come back with no warm-up games and just with training weeks under his belt to perform like that in a game, I thought was excellent,” said Dowson about his Australian flanker. “He worked incredibly hard. He was blowing by the time he came off, I was delighted to see JK back and how well he played.”

The comfortable position Saints had built in the first half afforded Dowson the opportunity to withdraw Alex Mitchell, Henry Pollock and Davison during the interval, providing Archie McParland, Iakopo Mapu and Luke Green with a full half of rugby.

“Trev has been carrying a knock the last couple of weeks so we thought we’d best look after him,” explained Dowson. “I wouldn’t want him to get too carried away and score a hat-trick against his old team!

“It gave us the opportunity to see Archie McParland for 40 minutes, for Iakopo Mapu to get some game time, putting in a decent stint. Also with Furbs [George Furbank] out injured, for Hutch [Rory Hutchinson] to play some at fly-half as well gives us the opportunity to give him some time in the saddle.”

The comprehensive victory will put a spring in the step of the men in Black, Green and Gold, heading into their first match of 2025 when Bath travel to the Gardens on Sunday 5 January (kick-off: 3pm), off the back of their own resounding Round 9 win after defeating Saracens 68-10 at The Rec.

Dowson said: “We have got to be careful that we don’t see false dawns every other week, we have got to make sure the next thing that we focus on is Bath, preparing for top-of-the-table to come here having just dealt with second bottom-of-the-table, we need to make sure that our performance level continues to rise and keep pushing and we understand the symptoms of the success.”

The win was Saints’ 20th in 29 competitive outings in 2024, a year which saw them end a decade-long wait to be crowned champions of England once more, and pick up some landmark victories away in Ireland and South Africa at either end of the 12-month period.

“I have had a lot of joy,” reflected the Saints boss, “not just from the results last season but this season as well, they have been hugely enjoyable and it has been a lot of fun. I don’t think you necessarily look back on it until later on, and that is what we plan to do, we will keep pushing on and make sure we hopefully start 2025 in the right way.”