Waller enjoying every moment as he gets set to hit another Saints milestone

The Kettering-born prop is set to reach yet another milestone when he takes on London Irish at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday evening.

And Waller, who made his Saints debut against Ospreys back in November 2009, is still savouring his rugby as much as ever.

"I'm enjoying it," said the 33-year-old.

"I'd be kidding myself if I didn't say I'm in the twilight of my career now so I'm just enjoying every moment.

"I'm enjoying being with the lads.

"The squad's changed a lot and I'm feeling very much like myself, Tom Cruse and Courts (Courtney Lawes) are the three oldest players in the squad.

"I worked out the other day that when I played my 100th game, Alfie Petch was 13!

"I gave George Patten a lift to work the other day and he told me he was born in 2003 - I nearly crashed the car.

"I'm enjoying it, enjoying the rugby and enjoying my form, which I think is showing on the pitch.

"I'm looking forward to continuing that."

Waller came through the Saints Academy and he admits he could never have imagined making so many appearances for his boyhood club.

He said: "My goal when I got in the Academy was just to get one cap so to have played as many times as I have, to have led the side and to have won trophies, played with world class players and seen the way the club has developed over the last 15 years, it's a dream come true.

"It's exceeded my wildest expectations.

"It's an honour.

"I'm not too focused on that at the moment, I'll probably reflect on it after the game and have a beer with the lads.

"Then it's on to the next one."

Saints were able to have last weekend off as they lost to London Irish in the semi-finals of the Premiership Rugby Cup, meaning they took no part in the showpiece.

Irish were eventually beaten by Exeter Chiefs in that final, and Waller was happy to have been able to rest up ahead of this weekend's crucial Gallagher Premiership clash.

"We'd have preferred to be playing in a final last weekend but to have a bit of time to recover, rest some bodies and sharpen a few edges at this end of the season is needed," Waller said.

"It's a tough, attritional game so I've really enjoyed having a little less pressure and the ability to let the body relax and hopefully fly into this weekend.

"It's a slight change in training week and it's been good."

So what kind of game is Waller expecting when fourth-placed Saints take on fifth-placed Irish this weekend?

"An exciting one," he said.

"I'm looking forward to it.

"Irish play an exciting brand of rugby and we're looking forward to meeting that challenge head on."