Biggar's loving his fresh start at Saints

But the Wales star says his transition to life in Northampton has been nothing other than ‘seamless’.

Biggar has taken to life at Franklin’s Gardens like a duck to water, which was an apt metaphor last weekend as his new team faced his old club in torrid conditions.

Saints saw off Ospreys 26-13 at Brewery Field in Bridgend, with Biggar coming off the bench at half-time to make his Northampton bow.

You may think Biggar was glad to be back home, but, in fact, the 28-year-old actually sounds glad to have left the land where he has made his name, relishing his new surroundings.

“It’s been a really good summer and I’ve enjoyed it,” said Biggar, who has enjoyed a welcome rest after not going on the Wales tour of Argentina.

“It’s difficult leaving a club where I’ve been for 11 years but the transition has been seamless and I’ve really enjoyed my time at Northampton.

“The games are coming up now and it’s good to get some competition.

“I feel refreshed and, in the nicest possible way, it feels nice to be out of Wales because I’ve played all my rugby in Wales in the goldfish bowl that it is.

“It’s quite nice to go under the radar a bit and it’s been really good at Northampton.

“It’s a proper club and the facilities there are great.

“The off-field stuff is excellent so it’s just about us as players and coaches being as good to complement the work of everyone at the club.”

Biggar was the source of some amusement for the Ospreys fans last weekend as he missed a conversion, sparking a few friendly jeers from his former supporters.

He took it all in good spirit and is more determined to focus on the future with Saints rather than his lengthy past at Ospreys.

“From an outsider’s point of view last year, everyone would be disappointed with how things went (at Saints),” Biggar said.

“It was a good finish in terms of winning at Leicester and picking up a win at home to Worcester and that gave momentum rolling in with new faces and new players coming in.

“It gives it a sense of a new club, but we’ve got to make sure we’re not setting our sights ridiculously high.

“We know it’s going to be gradual progress and we’ve started that well.

“We’re looking at taking it each block at a time.

“We’ve got a tough first block because we go to Gloucester, play Harlequins at home and then the champions, Saracens, at home.

“Those three games will set us off and show where we’re at.

“Pre-season is great and it’s always great to get a runout and it’s nice to win games, but results are secondary in pre-season and by the time we get to that first game, we’ll know exactly where we’re at.”