Saints star Lawes tipped to be regular England lock
Former Saint Lennie Newman believes England will want to see Courtney Lawes playing regularly at lock next season.
The Jimmy's End giant made his first start for England in the second row against Australia last month, but he played mostly in the back-row for Saints last season.
But former lock Newman, who was team manager at Franklin's Gardens for nine years before stepping down last season, believes Lawes has to start playing regularly in the second row to cement his England future.
"I think Courtney will be more in the second-row this season coming," said Newman, who played 120 times for Saints. "If you look at where England see Courtney playing, they will want to see him at lock. With the amount of quality back-rowers England have, they will want him in the second row.
"I can see Johnno saying to Northampton 'that if you want an international player keep him at lock'. He is good enough to play in the back-row, but lock is his future."
And Newman believes with the departure of locks Ignacio 'Nacho' Fernandez Lobbe and South African Juandre Kruger, Lawes will be an ideal replacement in the second row.
"It is time for Courtney to step into these shoes," said Newman. "Personally I would have liked to have seen Nacho stay on for another 12 months, but it wasn't to be.
"We are going to miss his experience, but Courtney has been learning from him for the last two years and that will put him in good stead.
"Nacho was a wily old character. You need personalities in a side and he was certainly one of those, he was a big influence off the pitch. He will be hard to replace, but I think we will miss Kruger the most next season. I liked him as a lineout technician, he loved studying the opposition's lineout and took the pressure off the coaches."
Second rowers Mark Sorenson from Newcastle and Adam Eustace from Gloucester have been brought in and Newman is hoping they can step up a level with Saints.
"Sorenson was in a not very good Newcastle side, but he will be surrounded by a good pack at Saints," said Newman. "Sorenson can run a lineout, while Eustace is more of a grunter. But Dorian West has the armoury to get the best out of players."
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