'Nothing's going to faze him' - Saints head coach Vesty praises Pater

The 19-year-old was the last-gasp hero at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens last Saturday as he slotted a nerveless conversion from the touchline to seal a dramatic 35-33 PREM Rugby Cup win against Saracens.

It was the latest notable moment from a Saints Academy product who has taken to life at the top level like a duck to water.

And Saints head coach Vesty said: "The first time he ever played for us was at Gloucester (at the end of last season) and his first touch, he made a break from a scrum and it just showed nothing fazed him. He's just carried on with that mindset and attitude.

"He's very quiet but driven.

"He knows what he wants and he goes and gets it.

"Nothing's going to faze him when he gets out there on the biggest stage.

"That is absolutely the easiest thing to tell whether someone can be a professional sportsman or not: that top two inches.

"It's about how you hold yourself in tricky situations – and not being fazed by any of the stresses and pressures is absolutely up there with the best skills."

Pater is just one of many players who have recently come through the Academy system and taken little or no time to fit in to the first-team system at Saints.

"Our Academy do a very good job of keeping people's feet on the ground, understanding what pressures are, understanding that being a good human is important - we value that," Vesty said.

"It's about working hard and our Academy do a very good job.

"Over the past few years, more of the kids that come through are in a better space."