Dowson: We got our game on the pitch in the second half

Phil Dowson pointed to competition for places in Northampton Saints’ squad as a key factor in their Investec Champions Cup Round-of-16 victory over Munster – and for coping with the extra games being added to the end-of-season run-in.

Before a sold-out cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, the men in Black, Green and Gold came from behind to win 24-14 and book a quarter-final date with the Vodacom Bulls back at the same venue on Saturday 13 April (kick-off: 8pm).

“We’re clearly delighted,” said Saints’ Director of Rugby. “It’s the first time we’ve been into the knock-out stages of Europe for quite some time.

“We knew that the levels were going to go up and the threat that Munster pose, and how hard they were going to come out of the blocks after what happened over there. I am delighted with how we coped with that and we managed to get our game on the pitch in the second half.

“Throughout that long run of games we had a lot of different players representing and contributing, we left a load of players out this week who were unlucky not to get involved.

“As we go through, we pick up bits and pieces, and we need to rest and rotate. You have got to have the trust as a coaching group to give those guys opportunities. It gets heavy, we would rather be in that situation than not.”

The depth of Saints’ squad was typified by the contribution of George Hendy, who scored two sensational tries after arriving from the bench for just his second appearance of 2024 and third-ever outing in this competition.

Dowson said: “There's lots of lads who are desperate to play and Hendy scored down in Academy corner. The journey he went on last season at Bedford, playing Championship rugby week in, week out, coming into this season, moving out of the Academy house and moveingin with Angus Scott-Young, have all added to the maturity element.

“He had a good pre-season and started the season really well, then he had really frustrating injury. The more George plays, the better he gets like everybody. He made a huge contribution.”

Hendy’s match-sealing brace added to first-half scores from James Ramm and Tommy Freeman as Saints now prepare for the visit of the Pretoria-based Bulls, who demolished Lyon 59-19 on Saturday.

“We have got to keep our feet on the ground and make sure that we prep them on a short week for the Bulls,” said Dowson.

“We watched them as a coaching group in their game. The power and athleticism throughout that group, then you have got the experience of Willie le Roux. They’re just a very talented group.

“I saw the pack weights in the game and there’s some big men knocking around, so we have got to make sure we are ready for that and we don’t get too distracted by what they are going to bring to the table, which is what we always do.

“But we understand what part of our game needs to be at its best to get a result.”