Alex Waller signed off in Black, Green and Gold in style on Saturday afternoon, marking his final Northampton Saints appearance by lifting the Club’s second Gallagher Premiership title – and the prop admitted he had secured the ‘fairytale ending’ that most players can only dream of.
Phil Dowson’s side defeated Bath Rugby 25-21 at a sold-out Twickenham Stadium to ensure Northampton tasted success at the end of a campaign which saw them top the regular-season standings and also reach the semi-finals of the Investec Champions Cup.
Ten years (and 253 appearances) on from Saints’ maiden Gallagher Premiership victory – with Waller the hero on that day as he scored the decisive try – the 34-year-old held the trophy aloft with Courtney Lawes and Lewis Ludlam in a day that will be etched into Northampton history.
“It is very surreal,” Waller said. “It is a fairytale ending for me on a completely selfish note. To finish my career winning the Premiership with a bunch of amazing blokes who I have been through a lot with.
“I have sort of bookended my career winning Premiership trophies. It’s not too bad a way to finish.”
Alex Waller
“The underlying confidence in the squad is probably what got us over the line. We had faced that adversity a couple of times this season – being behind against some big sides like Toulon, and we had a big dance at Twickenham against Quins, the semi-final against Leinster at Croke Park.
“We have had a bit of experience with big stadiums and big games so that’s probably what got us over the line today. Bath were a credit to themselves and pushed us in a lot of areas, but we were good enough to get over the line.”
Waller was substituted in the 52nd minute, so had to watch the final half hour of the match from the sideline.
He added: “We did not make easy work of it. It was not our best performance, but a win’s a win at the end of the day. In a couple of months, people will just remember that we won.
“Bath are a great team and to go down to 14 men and keep in the fight shows the quality and depth they have in their squad. It was tense on the bench.
“I had to take myself away to the changing rooms a couple of times for a few minutes pretending I needed the toilet just to get away from the action. We didn’t make it easy.”
Those full-time @SaintsRugby scenes at Twickenham 🥹 pic.twitter.com/K1yE2Q0GLY
— Rugby on TNT Sports (@rugbyontnt) June 10, 2024
The full-time whistle sparked wild celebrations on the touchline, on the pitch and in the Twickenham changing rooms following the match – with the whole squad present in London and back in Northampton on Saturday evening as well as for Sunday’s victory parade.
And Waller paid tribute to the whole group’s closeness in a season where every inch counted.
“Sometimes it just clicks and everyone buys in, from the non-matchday 23. I think that’s been our biggest strength this year, the boys who haven’t been playing test us every week,” he said.
“I’d be pretty confident of putting the non-23 out against most Premiership teams and they’d do a job. It only boosts the standard of training and the competition within the squad.
“One of our mantras is ‘Saints first’ and the boys have really bought into that. Even if we’re not playing – and I’ve been in that position this year when Ethan and Manny have been playing really well – but the thing we want is for the Club to do well and you have to share moments like this together.
“It’s all about the bigger picture and the oldest boys in the squad down to the Academy boys have bought into that and that is no doubt part of it.”
Alex Waller
Saints’ triumph on Saturday afternoon also saw Phil Dowson become the first Saintsman to win the Gallagher Premiership as both a player and a coach – joining a select group of individuals to accomplish that feat in the league’s history.
Waller added: “He’s a credit to himself. Mine and Phil’s relationship goes way back. We played with each other for eight or nine years, and I’ve seen his coaching journey go from being a skills coach all the way to Director of Rugby.
“It’s been a hell of a journey for him and this is only the start hopefully. He’s very switched on and there’s no way he’ll be resting on his laurels. I’m sure his already thinking about stuff, he’s a nause like that – I can say that now that he can’t sack me!
“But hopefully he reflects on the journey he’s had as a coach and what he’s managed to achieve with his team he’s put together. Hopefully that fills him with confidence and gives him the spur to go and do it again next season.”
