Saints duo named in Top England coaches list

Northampton Saints have received a boost ahead of their return to the Guinness Premiership with the news that their coaching pair of Jim Mallinder and Dorian West have been named among the top 10 young coaches in England.

Both coaches joined the Saints a year ago and amazingly they have not lost a match as they went through a campaign last season that saw them win the National League and National Trophy double.

Their success comes after a highly successful spell in charge of England Saxons, that saw the England second team remaining unbeaten for two years and collecting the Barclays Churchill Cup along the way.

Their success has been recognised by Rugby News as it has included forwards coach West and director of rugby Mallinder in their Top 10 Coaching Stars of the Future.

About Mallinder it says: “You don’t get any better than perfect and that’s precisely what former Sale coach Mallinder achieved in piloting Northampton back to the top flight.”

And on former Leicester and England hooker West the Northampton Chronicle quote it saying: “He talks with the kind of brutal honesty he was famed for as a player. No pack he builds will take a backwards step.”

Mallinder’s success had his name being linked with the England team as their new backs coach under Martin Johnson until Saints secured the former PE teacher with a new three-year deal.