Northampton eager to restore pride

Editor

Northampton Saints scrum-half Lee Dickson has labelled this weekend's visit to Dublin as a chance to make amends against Leinster.

Northampton Saints scrum-half Lee Dickson has labelled this weekend's visit to Dublin as a chance to make amends against Leinster.

Dickson was Northampton's only try-scorer last Saturday when the English club were battered 40-7 by Leinster on home soil.

Aware that his club fortunes may see him lose his starting spot for England, Dickson's focus is on getting back to winning ways as soon as possible.

“I worked really hard to get back into that England team. I had a horrible season last year with England but I'm number one now and it's within my power to keep hold of that shirt. For that to happen Saints need to keep playing well and I need to be playing well come the Six Nations,” Dickson told the Daily Express.

“I want to be straight back into that shirt. It was a tough pill to take, losing our home record in the way we did and a lot of it came down to ourselves and how we played.

“Sadly, we let ourselves down.

“We have to go over there [to Ireland] and restore a bit of pride. People are going to write us off as having no chance. But, as a squad, we simply love that challenge.”

Dickson took some solace from Northampton's similar situation last season, when they were well-beaten 25-6 at home before going to Ravenhill and causing an upset with a 10-9 victory.

“This time last year we lost by 30 points at home to Ulster but then went over there and ground out a win,” added Dickson

“We showed our character and our belief. Now, we have the perfect opportunity to go over there and do that again this weekend.

“Leinster are a great team and they really took their opportunities in the first half. But we showed a little of what we can do in the second half.

“There has been an edge and a reaction to what we did wrong in training. And we need to make sure we start well and get into the game.”