Grayson hails new-look Northampton

Newly promoted Northampton Saints Assistant Coach Paul Grayson believes that relegation helped the club rediscover itself.

Newly promoted Northampton Saints Assistant Coach Paul Grayson believes that relegation helped the club rediscover itself.

Grayson, who was Director of Rugby when Northampton were relegated, admitted the club needed a complete overhaul, and relegation gifted them the perfect opportunity to re-build.

For the former England fly-half that meant stepping down as Director of Rugby and assuming the role of Assistant Coach, not that he minded as he helped guide the Saints back into the Guinness Premiership.

“Twelve months ago was tough to deal with, not a lot else could have gone wrong from top to bottom,” he told BBC Radio Northampton.

“No matter how long I stay in coaching I don't think I'll encounter what I did last year.”

Grayson had only been in charge of the club for eighteen months when they were relegated and he says he is now pleased to have changed his role at the club.

“I'm glad we did get relegated because the club, particularly the playing end, needed a serious MOT,” he added.

“We had gone without a grand plan for a number of years and I don't think we could have coped with another year of struggling down the bottom pretending we should have been at the top.”

Northampton's return to the Premiership comes on the back of a perfect season in National League One under new Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder, who was assisted by Grayson and ex-England hooker Dorian West.

The trio were appointed last summer after Grayson was relieved of his duties and the club have since gone unbeaten, winning the National League One as well as the EDF Vase.

“Jim came to a place which was emotionally bruised,” Grayson said of Mallinder.

“He brings that experience and a completely outside view of the club which is a long way from perhaps the club's opinion of itself.

“It's refreshing to have a completely unemotional view of how things should be done and how things should change and it's to his credit that he's made that happen quickly.

“It feels like a rugby club again, it feels like it's got some soul.”

Grayson's role now involves coaching the backs, the defence and developing the players' skills.

He's seen a number of young English players develop at Franklin's Gardens, such as hooker Dylan Hartley and rugby league convert Chris Ashton.

“Dylan is the stand out candidate,” said Grayson.

“Now's a good time for him to go on tour with England.

“He's had to fight for his place, improve and mature and it would be good for him to have some international experience.

“Chris Ashton needs a summer off, he's been playing non-stop rugby and we know it can lead to injuries.

“He could do with a good break from rugby after back-to-back league seasons, a tour in league and then straight into rugby union.”