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Northampton is hardly the most glamorous location globally, but its club provides a great deal of thrills and drama.

In a town famous for footwear manufacturing, you could anticipate boot work to be the Northampton's modus operandi. Yet under head coach Phil Dowson, the side in green, black and gold choose to run with the ball.

Even though playing for a distinctly UK community, they showcase a style synonymous with the best Gallic practitioners of expansive play.

From the time Dowson and fellow coach Sam Vesty assumed control in 2022, Northampton have secured the English top flight and progressed well in the Champions Cup – losing to a French side in the previous campaign's decider and knocked out by the Irish province in a penultimate round before that.

They lead the competition ladder after four wins and a draw and visit Ashton Gate on Saturday as the sole undefeated team, aiming for a maiden victory at Ashton Gate since 2021.

It would be expected to think Dowson, who played 262 premier fixtures for multiple clubs combined, had long intended to be a trainer.

“During my career, I never seriously considered it,” he states. “But as you mature, you comprehend how much you appreciate the sport, and what the real world looks like. I had a stint at Metro Bank doing a trial period. You make the journey a few times, and it was difficult – you see what you do and don’t have.”

Discussions with former mentors culminated in a job at Northampton. Fast-forward several seasons and Dowson leads a team ever more crammed with national team players: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles started for the Red Rose against the All Blacks two weeks ago.

Henry Pollock also had a significant influence as a substitute in the national team's flawless campaign while the number ten, eventually, will inherit the No 10 jersey.

Is the emergence of this exceptional cohort because of the Saints’ culture, or is it fortune?

“It is a combination of the two,” states Dowson. “I would acknowledge the former director of rugby, who basically just threw them in, and we had challenging moments. But the practice they had as a collective is definitely one of the factors they are so close-knit and so talented.”

Dowson also cites Mallinder, a former boss at Franklin’s Gardens, as a significant mentor. “It was my good fortune to be coached by exceptionally insightful individuals,” he says. “Mallinder had a major effect on my rugby life, my management style, how I manage people.”

Northampton demonstrate attractive football, which proved literally true in the case of the French fly-half. The Frenchman was a member of the French club defeated in the Champions Cup in last season when Tommy Freeman scored a three tries. He liked what he saw sufficiently to go against the flow of British stars moving to France.

“A mate called me and remarked: ‘We know of a fly-half from France who’s looking for a side,’” Dowson explains. “I said: ‘We don’t have funds for a French fly-half. A different option will have to wait.’

‘He’s looking for a fresh start, for the possibility to prove his worth,’ my mate told me. That caught my attention. We met with Belleau and his communication was outstanding, he was eloquent, he had a funny side.

“We asked: ‘What are your goals from this?’ He said to be trained, to be challenged, to be facing unfamiliar situations and outside the French league. I was thinking: ‘Come on in, you’re a great person.’ And he has been. We’re lucky to have him.”

Dowson comments the emerging the flanker offers a specific vitality. Has he coached a player comparable? “Never,” Dowson responds. “Everyone’s unique but he is distinct and special in multiple respects. He’s unafraid to be authentic.”

Pollock’s breathtaking score against Leinster previously illustrated his unusual skill, but various his demonstrative in-game antics have led to claims of overconfidence.

“He sometimes seems arrogant in his actions, but he’s not,” Dowson clarifies. “Furthermore he's not taking the piss all the time. In terms of strategy he has contributions – he’s not a clown. I think on occasion it’s depicted that he’s merely a joker. But he’s intelligent and a positive influence in the squad.”

Few managers would admit to enjoying a tight friendship with a assistant, but that is how Dowson characterizes his connection with his co-coach.

“Sam and I share an interest about diverse subjects,” he explains. “We run a reading group. He aims to discover all aspects, seeks to understand each detail, desires to try varied activities, and I think I’m the similar.

“We talk about lots of topics beyond the game: cinema, reading, concepts, creativity. When we faced the Parisian club last year, Notre-Dame was undergoing restoration, so we had a little wander around.”

A further fixture in the French nation is coming up: The Saints' comeback with the English competition will be short-lived because the European tournament takes over soon. Their next opponents, in the vicinity of the mountain range, are up first on Sunday week before the South African team visit soon after.

“I refuse to be presumptuous sufficiently to {