Vesty enjoying extra responsibility as Boyd gives Saints coaches a cup chance

Attack coach Sam Vesty is enjoying the extra responsibility he is shouldering at Saints this week.
Saints attack coach Sam Vesty (left) is enjoying the chance Chris Boyd has given himSaints attack coach Sam Vesty (left) is enjoying the chance Chris Boyd has given him
Saints attack coach Sam Vesty (left) is enjoying the chance Chris Boyd has given him

Boss Chris Boyd has decided to give each member of his management team the chance to take charge of a Premiership Rugby Cup match.

Defence coach Alan Dickens was handed the reins last Saturday as a largely youthful Saints side lost 39-18 at an experienced Sale team.

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Vesty will take charge for this week's clash with Wasps at Franklin's Gardens, assistant coach Matt Ferguson will be the main man for the following week's game at home to Saracens and forwards coach Phil Dowson will then get his chance for the trip to Leicester Tigers.

Boyd will then take back full control ahead of the Gallagher Premiership season opener at Saracens on October 19.

"Boydy has basically implemented this and put us in charge for different weeks," Vesty explained.

"We get to implement the week we want so we might make minor changes to our schedule, we'll front the meetings, we'll front the game plan side of it and there are obviously the media bits.

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"It's more of a head coach role so we'll decide what training's going to look like as more of an individual thing than how it normally works.

"It's good."

Despite taking something of a small step back, Boyd is still heavily involved in the build-up to these Premiership Rugby Cup matches, especially when it comes to team selection.

"It is a discussion and the buck stops at Boydy, but he asks our opinions, we debate things and we come up with a solution," Vesty said.

"Boydy is still picking the team during these weeks."

Boyd, who signed a three-year deal when joining from the Hurricanes last summer, has already previously stated his desire for his current Saints coaching staff to succeed him when he eventually calls time on his stay in Northampton.

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“If you’re solid with your decision-making you can have a long and fruitful career," said Boyd in July.

“And my aim for all four of these guys is to give them a really good foundation and springboard to whatever they want to do, but hopefully that will be at Saints.

“I’d love it if in 10 years’ time all four of them were coaching a very successful Northampton Saints team.

“Is that going to happen? Not definitely because people do move on. But it’s certainly what I’d like to see happen and it would be a big victory.”

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