Tom Pearson has targeted backing up his leading role in Saints’ title‑winning campaign with another stellar season – something he admits he didn’t achieve after his first of two league wins in Black, Green and Gold.
The 26‑year‑old lifted the Gallagher PREM trophy in his debut year as a Northampton player in 2023/24, featuring in 21 games and scoring seven tries. He added 22 appearances and six tries in his second season, but the England international felt he didn’t hit the same heights in 2024/25 – before rediscovering his best form to become a mainstay and a two-time PREM winner in 2025/26.
“I am looking forward to going well here again,” said the back row, who is set to make his first outing of the season against Harlequins in Saturday’s PREM Rugby Cup encounter at The Stoop. “I felt I was quite consistent last season, and I’d love to back that up, which is something I felt I didn’t do last time we won the league. I want to back that up again.
Saints’ back‑row department has seen one new arrival in the form of Josh Taylor from Ealing Trailfinders. The 6ft 5in tall forward made his competitive debut with a 50‑minute contribution last weekend against Saracens and, despite the result, impressed with his physicality and work rate.
“Josh has been brilliant; he’s fitted in really well,” Pearson added. “He’s added to a back row that’s already pretty competitive, and I think he’s had some strong games. I thought he went really well against Saracens.
“He’s a big guy, physical, and he’s got a good skillset to back it up. I’m sure we’ll be seeing a fair bit of him this season.”
A youthful Saints side led at half‑time at StoneX Stadium before the more experienced hosts pulled away in the second period to secure maximum points.
Pearson pointed to the eight debutants who began their Saints careers in North London, and the important lessons they will take forward in their rugby journeys.
“It was a very strong first half,” said Pearson. “We started well, put Saracens under a lot of pressure, and created a lot of good stuff. They definitely upped it after half‑time, and we didn’t meet that at all.
“It was difficult for those guys, with a lack of experience in how to handle that situation, but especially in the first half, they held themselves very well.
“They’ve got their Saints numbers – it was probably disappointing to have a game like that be your first one – but I’m sure they’ll be really happy to have played, to have got their Saints number so early, and to have that experience at the top level against a strong Saracens team. All credit to those boys; they’ll have learned a lot from that day. It’s all part of the learning process.”
Pearson is poised to play his first minutes since that glorious June afternoon at Allianz Stadium, just a few hundred metres down the road at The Stoop, on Saturday as Saints take on Harlequins in the PREM Rugby Cup.
Saints have one further match against Black Lion at Franklin’s Gardens on Friday 18 September - with tickets still available HERE – before launching into their Gallagher PREM 2026/27 season opener with Newcastle Red Bulls a week later.
The back row is hoping to strike the right balance of game time ahead of that league opener, he explained: “You need to be match-fit as much as possible, there’s a fine balance between playing too many before the start of the season or going in a little bit undercooked. I will hopefully have a couple of games before that first game here against Newcastle, so I am fit and firing and ready to go.”