Harding thanked his club, Canterbury Crusaders, for letting him fly to England four weeks earlier than expected.

"I told them I had signed with Northampton, and I had not been at Canterbury long, so they were trying to develop someone else who would be available for Super 12. I have not really played for the last six weeks, but you cannot expect them to give someone four or five games and then they leave. But they were good enough to let me come here three or four weeks early."

Harding said he had been keeping up-to-date with Saints' progress in the GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP via this website but had also watched Saturday's game on video yesterday - his first day in the country.

"I have tried to keep in touch. We get a little bit of English rugby on the television but I have been keeping an eye on the match reporters on the website. Had a look at the game on Saturday from a video. It looked quite physical. Not sure what I have got myself into!"

Despite his surprise at the verocity of Saturday's game against Gloucester, Harding did not seem too bothered and had a slight openside flanker twinkle in his eye.

"You are never going to win games unless you have got parity with the forwards and the backs, and the English seem to love beating each other up. I am definitely expecting to be knocked around a bit - it's all part of rugby." 

Although Harding is the new boy in town, he knew a a few of his countrymen already.

"I have played with or against all of the Kiwi guys here. It has been great to roll up and say 'hello'. I am also just running around the place shaking lots of hands and meeting people."

Harding will see a few of team mates in action tonight when he, and the rest of the squad, turn out to watch the Wanderers in action against Leicester at Franklin's Gardens at 7.30pm tonight. He will then begin full training with the squad tomorrow, but its remaining reserved about any possibility of selection for Saturday's Powergen Cup game against Worcester Warriors.

"I don't know about this Saturday, that's up to  the coaches. I am raring to go though - I would love to get in there."

Director of rugby Budge Pountney was also enthusiastic about Harding's early arrival, especially in regard to him being another young player that may stay around longer than his initial two-year contract: "Sam has a great reputation, is an extremely good rugby player and the fact that he is only 24 makes him another young player who has experience at a hight level.

"We certainly wanted to bring players here for a long period of time instead of one or two years. If you bed in here, you could be here for six or seven years with is great for continuity and team spirt. We are beginning to see our team gel now and to work together. It may take a little bit longer but we just need to be patient - it's all about long-term planning not a short-term fix."