Saints forward Wright ready to continue his rapid development against Coventry
Backs don't expect to lose in foot races against forwards - but Craig Wright has already taken a couple of scalps during Saints training.
And if he can continue his rapid development, he will expect to take many more in the years to come.
Acceleration is certainly one of the main strings to the young hooker's bow, something he showed when he turned on the turbos to score a key try in a Premiership Rugby Cup win against Nottingham back in November.
"That was really good, a really good try, a really good opportunity," said Wright, who starts against Coventry in another key cup clash at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.
"Obviously, we were down in the first half and to be able to come back like that and score the winning try, that was a good feeling.
"I’ve been here a little while – about two or three years now – and I’m just trying to slowly break into the first team, so that’s kind of my goal at the minute; to be a regular in there.
"But at the minute I’m getting some good PRC time, I’ve had a couple of Prem opportunities and the season has been going really well.
"It’s been heading in the direction I wanted it to go."
Wright has the pace and power to make him a problem for opposition sides.
"I’m definitely trying to showcase my abilities on the pitch, like my speed and power,” he said.
"I’ve given it (outrunning the backs) a go a couple of times in training and I’ve beaten one or two.
"I like to put myself up there."
Saints are a club now known for their development of young English talent.
And former England Under-20s star Wright is someone the club has high hopes for.
"All the coaches are so involved with you when you’re developing and training," said the 20-year-old.
"As a young player, it is quite awesome to be able to go to them and ask them any questions you want, and they’ll answer it straight away.
"They give us great feedback and it’s also a great opportunity to get to mingle with the first-team boys as well.
"It’s a great opportunity to feed off some of the senior lads and to be able to pick their brains on certain situations that they’ve been in or certain experiences on the pitch, what they recommend, especially in my position as a front rower.
"Everything is reliant on feel - when you’re in a scrum, you feel how it’s going, you feel what direction it’s going to go, you feel what the opposition are doing. To be up against someone who’s done that day in, day out for the last 10 years is quite special."
Wright has learned a lot from Curtis Langdon, who is currently with England’s Guinness Six Nations squad.
"I’m really pleased for him,” Wright said.
"We were actually having a hookers’ darts competition at one of the sports bars here and he finally got the call-up there, so we were really pleased for him.
"I think it’s definitely well deserved (because of) the way he’s been playing in the Premiership.
"He is obviously energetic and really physical when it comes to training. He makes sure that we’re upholding standards as well – he’s really good in that aspect – and obviously at set-pieces he’s got the experience.
"He knows what he’s got to do, he knows how to scrummage, he’s a good set-piece hooker, so I take a lot from him and I watch his game around the field as well.
"I try to take aspects from his game and try to implement them into mine; just the amount of carries that he does – honestly, the man carries so much during games.
"If I can do that, and obviously implement elements of my game as well, and take that experience and try to better my game, I think that’s a big learning point for me.”
Wright can’t wait to make his fifth Saints start when Coventry come calling at the Gardens on Saturday.
He said: “I think every opportunity we get here (is amazing).
"I think the fans that come along do an absolutely great job – people come along, make plenty of noise and plenty of interactions. It’s really nice to feel their support.
"I’ve always remarked that when I go to the Under-20s every person that’s come here to Franklin’s Gardens has said ‘wow, it’s so noisy, it’s so much livelier, it’s such a great atmosphere to play in.’
"And I totally agree – I think there’s no second (place) to it. It’s one of the best atmospheres in the league.”