Three weeks into preseason, back-row Callum Chick is settling into his new life as Saint after joining from childhood club, Newcastle Falcons.
Chick joined the Falcons academy at the age of 12 going on to breakthrough to the Premiership side, and later on captained his childhood club. Now with Saints, the 6ft 3in and 115kg No.8 is already relishing his time in the East Midlands and getting stuck into pre-season.
Chick said: “Preseason has been good, very different to what I'm used to, a lot more rugby focused and ball-in-hand, very little off the conditioning and running on the side the pitch.
“It’s still tough, you’re still absolutely blowing! But it's all very rugby specific and hopefully getting not only fit but also better.
“I know a few lads from age group stuff, and my time with England. It's been an easy transition, which is always good when you move somewhere new.
“After you spend your whole life somewhere, it can be a challenge, but being in around the lads and stuff has been great.
“Everyone’s path is different, and I think in rugby, you need to do what's best for you, it’s a short career. This felt like a really good fit for me personally, so far as the brand of rugby that Saints play and how the coaches are.”
Callum Chick
Chick won the Falcons’ academy player of the season award for 2016/17 and is no stranger to the PREM having played over 1,000 minutes the past four seasons with over a century of appearances in the league as well as European competitions and will bring that wealth of experience to the Saints back-row.
Chick took over the captaincy at Falcons in 23/24 and last season he led by example, starting 17 of Newcastle’s 18 Premiership games, and will bring an abrasiveness to the No.8 shirt having featured in the league’s top ten players for post-contact metres made last year.
As he settles into life as a Saint, Chick is determined to push his career forward and contribute to the club’s ambitions for silverware and drive to always improve.
“I’m 28 now I'm not getting any younger, and this is theoretically my prime. So, for me, I want to win things.
“Obviously Saints won the PREM two years ago and then got to the Champions Cup final last year. I'm not here just to take part. I want to be successful. I want to walk away from this career with a medal and a trophy.
“I also want more England caps. I've got two of them at the minute, and to do that I feel like I have to get more out myself as a player.
“It's about improving my game in general; I’ve signed as a ball carrying No.8 and I want to come here and do that and get my hands on the ball.
“Here at Northampton, we play a lot of rugby ball-in-hand, it’s one of the reasons I came here in order to do that.
“It's exciting, boys like Tommy Freeman, I was in England camp when he first came in and now, he's playing for the Lions and one of the best wingers in the world and there’s obviously young boys, like Henry [Pollock] going out there and playing really well.
“And it's all credit to what they're doing here and the development and how the coaches allow the players to do to get the best out of themselves.”
But it’s not just a desire to improve as a player that drove Chick to sign with Saints, it’s also the incredible support at cinch Stadium at Franklins Gardens that he can’t wait to experience.
“Northampton is obviously a rugby town compared to Newcastle, which is very much a football city. So, to come down here on game day and get the atmosphere and see it fully packed out is going to be exciting.
“Saints have got a huge following and some great fans, so I can't wait to run out there and hopefully play some good rugby.
“The fans live and breathe Saints; they absolutely love the lads and love coming down on a weekend and watching.
“I can't wait just to soak in the atmosphere and put a performance that is deserving of those fans.”
