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This English town may not be the most tropical spot on the planet, but its squad offers plenty of thrills and drama.

In a place famous for shoe production, you would think kicking to be the Saints’ main approach. However under leader Phil Dowson, the squad in green, black and gold opt to retain possession.

Even though representing a distinctly UK community, they exhibit a flair synonymous with the greatest French exponents of champagne rugby.

After Dowson and his colleague Sam Vesty stepped up in 2022, Northampton have claimed victory in the English top flight and gone deep in the Champions Cup – losing to their Gallic opponents in last season’s final and ousted by the Irish province in a semi-final earlier.

They lead the competition ladder after multiple successes and a single stalemate and head to Ashton Gate on the weekend as the sole undefeated team, aiming for a first win at Bristol's home since 2021.

It would be expected to think Dowson, who participated in 262 top-flight fixtures for multiple clubs in total, always planned to be a manager.

“When I played, I never seriously considered it,” he states. “However as you mature, you realise how much you appreciate the game, and what the real world is like. I worked briefly at Metro Bank doing a trial period. You travel to work a few times, and it was challenging – you see what you have going for you.”

Discussions with club legends led to a job at the Saints. Move forward several seasons and Dowson leads a team increasingly packed with internationals: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles started for England against the All Blacks two weeks ago.

Henry Pollock also had a major effect from the replacements in the national team's flawless campaign while the number ten, down the line, will inherit the fly-half role.

Is the emergence of this outstanding group due to the club's environment, or is it luck?

“It's a combination of the two,” comments Dowson. “I’d credit Chris Boyd, who basically just threw them in, and we had challenging moments. But the experience they had as a collective is undoubtedly one of the reasons they are so close-knit and so gifted.”

Dowson also namechecks his predecessor, an earlier coach at Franklin’s Gardens, as a key figure. “I was lucky to be mentored by exceptionally insightful personalities,” he notes. “He had a big impact on my professional journey, my coaching, how I deal with people.”

Northampton play entertaining the game, which became obvious in the instance of the French fly-half. The import was a member of the Clermont XV beaten in the continental tournament in the spring when Tommy Freeman notched a hat-trick. The player was impressed to such an extent to reverse the trend of British stars moving to France.

“A friend rang me and said: ‘There’s a French 10 who’s seeking a team,’” Dowson recalls. “My response was: ‘We don’t have funds for a imported playmaker. Thomas Ramos will have to wait.’

‘He desires a fresh start, for the possibility to challenge himself,’ my mate told me. That interested me. We spoke to Belleau and his communication was incredible, he was eloquent, he had a funny side.

“We questioned: ‘What are you seeking from this?’ He answered to be coached, to be driven, to be in a new environment and beyond the domestic competition. I was like: ‘Welcome aboard, you’re a great person.’ And he proved to be. We’re blessed to have him.”

Dowson comments the 20-year-old Henry Pollock brings a specific energy. Does he know an individual comparable? “No,” Dowson responds. “All players are individual but Pollock is unusual and remarkable in many ways. He’s fearless to be who he is.”

The player's sensational score against Leinster previously demonstrated his exceptional skill, but various his animated in-game actions have resulted in accusations of cockiness.

“On occasion comes across as overconfident in his behavior, but he’s not,” Dowson says. “Plus Pollock is not taking the piss the whole time. In terms of strategy he has input – he’s a smart player. I feel sometimes it’s depicted that he’s just this idiot. But he’s bright and great to have to have around.”

Not many coaches would claim to have sharing a close bond with a head coach, but that is how Dowson characterizes his partnership with Vesty.

“Sam and I possess an interest about different things,” he notes. “We maintain a literary circle. He wants to see everything, aims to learn each detail, aims to encounter new experiences, and I feel like I’m the same.

“We talk about lots of topics away from rugby: films, reading, concepts, art. When we met the Parisian club in the past season, Notre-Dame was under renovation, so we had a little wander around.”

A further date in Gall is coming up: Northampton’s comeback with the English competition will be short-lived because the continental event intervenes soon. Their next opponents, in the shadow of the border region, are up first on the coming weekend before the Bulls arrive at a week later.

“I won't be overconfident sufficiently to {