Fin Smith is ready to be thrown back in at the deep end in a Black, Green and Gold shirt as Northampton Saints welcome East Midlands rivals Leicester Tigers to cinch Stadium this weekend.
The fly-half has enjoyed a remarkable summer, which saw him follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and be selected on a British and Irish Lions Tour, joining three of his Saints teammates for the trip to Australia.
Smith, who is back in contention to feature in Saturday’s showdown at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, featured in four games for the famous touring team Down Under.
“The Lions tour was great,” Smith explained. “Everyone talks about it being the pinnacle, and it was that and more.
“I couldn’t believe how unbelievable the experience was from the off-field excitement and the fans and the stuff we were able to do as a group, and some of the connections we were able to make, but also the scale of it on the pitch.
“Being able to go to Australia and win in some of those unbelievable stadiums is a memory that will stick with me for a long time.”
Fin Smith
The summer excitement for Smith has continued into the new season, following the news that all Saints’ fans wanted to hear last week, that he has signed a new multi-year contract to remain at cinch Stadium.
One of the most sought-after talents in the league, the 23-year-old committed his future to Northampton to remain at the club that has shaped him.
“Signing the new contract is really exciting for me,” Smith continued. “I’m really excited to be able to announce it, and it’s a decision that I feel is the right one for me, and I’m delighted to know that my future is going to be at this club for a good while and excited to get stuck in now.
“The town and the club have shaped me as a person and a player, and I’ve taken a massive step forward in my career since being here. The fans have been great, and long may it continue.
“What a mouthwatering fixture for me to come back into. Leicester at home is a massive derby, especially with how we performed in this fixture at home last season.
“We feel we really owe it to ourselves and the town to put on a proper performance, so we’re really excited to get a good performance in.
“It will be an interesting match-up against Tigers. Obviously, it’s still early days in the season, so you can’t fully figure out what teams are all about yet. All we can control is what we want to do and how we want to attack and defend.
“It’s an exciting week to come back into, I won’t be short on motivation, that’s for sure. Being thrown in at the deep end is enjoyable, and a derby game in front of a sold-out cinch Stadium is one I’m massively looking forward to this Saturday.
Plenty more to come from @finsmithh in 🖤💚💛 pic.twitter.com/JCkFHHGQ4g
— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) October 4, 2025
Smith is yet to take to the field with his Saints teammates due to a mandatory rest period following the conclusion of the Lions tour, but has enjoyed watching new teammate Anthony Belleau pull the strings in his absence.
“It’s been difficult sitting on the sidelines and watching on, but we’ve performed well for large parts of the matches so far,” said Smith. “We could just do with making games slightly less close at the end!
“Anthony’s done really well in that jersey and controlled things. It’s always good to have competition, and it makes me know I’ve got to come in and perform at the weekend.
“It’s been great to learn from him off the pitch as well. He has a lot of experience, and it’s definitely going to help me improve my game with him here.”
