Northampton Saints 2024/25: Tom Vickers' season review

Saints' largely frustrating, extremely fragmented and occasionally fantastic 2024/25 season has reached its conclusion.

Phil Dowson's men saw their title defence fall flat as they finished eighth in the Gallagher Premiership, but a memorable journey in the Investec Champions Cup meant they still had plenty to celebrate.

Unfortunately, they couldn't quite get the job done in Cardiff as French giants Union Bordeaux-Bègles prevailed in the Principality Stadium showpiece.

But Saints can still take some fond memories into the summer.

Here, I take a look at some key talking points for the black, green and gold…

What went wrong for Saints in the Gallagher Premiership?

Halfway through the campaign, some were questioning whether Saints' title defence was the worst in the history of the league as they really struggled to get going. They won their opening three Premiership home matches, but tough losses on the road, at Bath, Leicester Tigers and Bristol Bears really robbed them of any momentum. There were constant suggestions that Saints were suffering from losing the likes of Alex Waller, Lewis Ludlam and, of course, Courtney Lawes during the summer, but though they would have loved to have had those players available to them, it was actually the absence of men still part of the squad that hurt them the most. Alex Mitchell missed the first six Premiership matches due to a neck problem, while Saints lost the likes of Robbie Smith and Sam Graham for the entire campaign in the formative stages of it. They were also hurt badly by two inconvenient England training camps, taking away their international stars for crucial away games against Bristol Bears and Harlequins, and they were never able to get a stable side on the field of play. Week after week, more key men were ruled out, meaning they went into vital clashes - especially away from home, where they won just once in the league all season - with inexperienced players starting in important roles. Nothing summed this up more over the course of the campaign than the fact Mitchell and Fin Smith started just five of the 18 league matches together!

What went right for Saints in the 2024/25 season?

Let's start with the obvious... the Investec Champions Cup. What a run it was for the black, green and gold as they made it all the way to the final. They claimed stunning away wins against Vodacom Bulls and Leinster as part of their adventure, while home victories against the likes of Munster, Clermont Auvergne and Castres were also added to the highlights reel. Saints showed incredible belief as they refused to bow to some of Europe's giants and the only low point came in the final. However, that agony wasn't all of Saints' own making as they fought bravely until the end, but because the below-par performance of the officials and the early injuries they suffered, they were really left wondering what might have been. Due to their European commitments, Saints rotated heavily in two away league games towards the end of the season, and the experience they gave to some talented young players should stand them in even better stead next season.

How did the new signings settle in?

Josh Kemeny clearly settled in superbly as he was crowned coaches' and players' player of the season at the end of his first campaign in black, green and gold. The Australian flanker's work ethic was hailed by everyone at cinch Stadium at the Gardens and for him to be as good so early after arriving from the other side of the globe shows just how strong he is physically and mentally. Tom West took a little time to show his best stuff but he was on the way up before an injury at Exeter last month ended his campaign. Luke Green made a big early impression and was rewarded with an England A call-up. The likes of Archie Benson and Fyn Brown have spent time working on their game in the Championship, both showing plenty of ability. Callum Hunter-Hill sadly saw injuries derail his one and only season at Saints.

The Lions four

Saints will have a quartet of players going on this summer's British & Irish Lions tour, the most the club has had going on a single Lions tour since 2000. The call-ups were richly deserved for Henry Pollock, Alex Mitchell, Fin Smith and Tommy Freeman, as their selection provided yet another glowing endorsement of the development structure at the Gardens. The coaches continue to get the best out of players, helping them go from good to world class. And these men won't be happy with just going along for the ride as they all have the ability to play key roles for Andy Farrell's side Down Under.

Talking of Henry Pollock…

The Saints Academy product is one of the most talked about players in world rugby right now, with even New Zealand legend Ardie Savea taking notice of his Lions call-up and his impact on the sport. Pollock has regularly hit the headlines in his breakthrough campaign at Saints, but it's not just about his try celebration style, it's the pure substance he has to his game as he is able to back up his incredible self-belief with even more incredible performances. Week by week, month by month, he got better and better, so much so that he was named on a star-studded shortlist for the Investec player of the year award. And he probably would have won it had Saints found a way past Bordeaux in the final. While his talent level is through the roof, Pollock's greatest strength actually appears to be his elite mentality. Archie McParland, the Saints scrum-half, has known Pollock since their school days, and he told this publication that the best thing about him is that he doesn't care who he plays against. For Saints players to look across the dressing room and see a 20-year-old who has full belief that he will win every game he plays must have such a huge impact on the squad as a whole. And we have certainly seen that in Europe this season.

How is the squad looking for next season?

Saints will certainly feel the loss of men such as Temo Mayanavanua, Juarno Augustus and Burger Odendaal, even though the centre has been limited to just 17 appearances due to injury since arriving at the Gardens. Those men are real power players who will be hard to replace, while the likes of Tarek Haffar and Tom Seabrook have also contributed a huge amount when they have played. But such is Saints' recruitment these days, they always seem to find some hidden gems, and they have also recruited some established players with a lot of ability as Italy loosehead Danilo Fischetti and Newcastle Falcons captain Callum Chick are coming to Northampton this summer. The signing of Clermont ace Anthony Belleau, an established fly-half, will also help hugely when Fin Smith is unavailable. Saints will continue to hand chances to young players as, time and time again, the coaches, from the Academy up, have shown they can get talented teens to settle in the first-team picture quickly. The squad still looks a little light at lock and centre, so it will be interesting to see if Saints can add in those areas this summer.

Are hopes high for another big campaign in Europe and a renewed Premiership title bid?

Saints have both the talent and the belief to achieve something special next season, but once again, it will come down to availability of players at key times. The Lions tour will have an impact on them at the start of the Premiership season so squad depth will again be tested, but if they can get much better fortune on the injury front, there's no telling what this group can achieve. They would love a good seeding in Europe so are in the strange position of hoping Bordeaux do the double as them winning the Top 14 would elevate Saints' draw position in the Champions Cup. With young players now having more domestic and international experience, this Northampton squad has so much quality, and if they can get it all on the field more often than they did during the campaign just gone, stay tuned for some more Gardens fireworks.