News // Savala looking to kick on during loan stint at Saints

It has been a ‘rollercoaster’ few months for Charlie Savala, but the Northampton Saints fly-half insists he is loving life on loan at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens after helping to steer the men in Black, Green and Gold to a 38-13 win over Newcastle Falcons on Saturday.

Savala, 23, began the 2023/24 campaign with Edinburgh Rugby in the United Rugby Championship, before making the switch to the East Midlands on loan in November.

To date, the loanee has played three games for the men in Black, Green and Gold, making his first start in the No.10 jersey last weekend while slotting three conversions and helping to set up a couple of scores for the hosts – with his offload to Tom Litchfield who duly provided the assist for Tom James to score one highlight of Savala’s afternoon.

Saints made it ten wins in a row in all competitions as they closed the game out, but Savala admitted Falcons (the league’s bottom side) made Northampton work hard for their points.

“It was a scrappy start,” he said. “But we came away with the desired result. There were some changes in the backline coming into the week with a few guys away on international duty, and while I feel we weren’t at our best, we did enough to win.

“When we are not on the top of our game, you can notice it, especially given how well we’ve been playing recently. But the depth of our squad shone through, so credit to our coaches as we got our skills and basics correct.

“It’s nice to go into the break off the back of some great results. We will recuperate and come back ready to go again.”

Saints made five changes in the backline going into the game, with Rory Hutchinson and Ollie Sleightholme the only survivors from the Investec Champions Cup victory in Munster.

Savala added: “I wouldn’t say it was difficult to find fluidity in the backline, it was just more trying to find those combinations. Speaking to the coaches after the game, we spoke about time under pressure will just make you better.

“Training is a lot different to games, which was clear against Newcastle, but I’m proud of the boys with the result.”

Born in Sydney, qualified for Scotland, and arriving in Northampton via Edinburgh, Savala has taken the road less travelled on his way to becoming Saint #2087.

But the 23-year-old is adamant that after a turbulent few months, life is sweet at the Gardens so far, and he’s looking to kick on during the time he has left at Saints.

“It has been a rollercoaster last six months for me,” he said. “I played 20-odd games for Edinburgh last season and was enjoying my time there, but a new head coach came in and things don’t always work out.