Newcastle Falcons vs Northampton Programme

FIN SMITH TOMMY FREEMAN TREVOR DAVISON
fly-half full-back PROP
THREE TO
WATCH
DIRECTOR OF RUGBY
PHIL DOWSON
Northampton’s director of rugby is well known to the Falcons faithful,
having been a former club captain during his long and successful
playing career.
Scoring the winning try for the Falcons in the 2004 Powergen Cup final,
Dowson’s playing career saw him appearing in the back for Northampton
and Worcester as well as breaking into the English national side.
Dowson is in his second season as director of rugby following the departure
of Kiwi veteran Chris Boyd, in whose coaching staff he served
prior to stepping up.
The 21-year-old fly-half is in his first full season with the
Saints after joining last autumn following Worcester Warriors’
expulsion from the Premiership. An England Under-20s
international who is also qualified for Scotland, Smith is the
grandson of former Scotland and British & Irish Lions prop,
Tom Elliot.
Having become the youngest player to start a Premiership
game for Worcester when he was 18, Smith played 33 times
for the Warriors and has already appeared 13 times in the
Premiership for Northampton.them to Top 14 title success
in his first campaign there, as well as winning the league’s
Player of the Season award.
The Saints academy graduate has played more than 50
games for the Saints after making his first team debut back
in 2019.
A versatile back who has excelled at full-back, the Oxford-born
Freeman scored a hat-trick on his last visit to
Kingston Park and has been capped four times by England
– the last of those coming against South Africa during last
year’s Autumn Nations Cup.
The Saints prop will be a familiar face to Falcons fans after
playing 105 games for his home town club, with the Newcastle
native heading down to Franklin’s Gardens at the tail end
of last season.
Now aged 31, Davison began his rugby journey with Blaydon
RFC, playing for England Counties before stepping up into the
professional game after being spotted by Falcons forwards
coach Micky Ward. Going on to make his England debut in the
summer of 2021, Davison has the ability toplay on both sides
of the scrum.
IN OPPOSITION - NORTHAMPTON SAINTS
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