Alex Coles admitted that learning Leicester Tigers would be Northampton Saints’ opponents ‘added some extra spice’ to their home Gallagher PREM play‑off.
The England lock was among the non‑playing spectators at The Stoop last weekend as the men in Black, Green and Gold awaited results from elsewhere to determine who their opponents would be on Friday evening at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
“We had our phones out while watching the game, seeing the other scores and trying to figure out the permutations,” said Coles. “We’re just excited to be in a semi‑final, but seeing it is Leicester does give it that extra bit of spice. I am sure it will give them an extra bit [of spice] as well.”
He added: “Sparks are always flying in these games, and when you add the one‑off jeopardy and all the history, it is going to be really tasty.
Friday night’s game will be the 26‑year‑old’s 14th East Midlands Derby of his career, and it will see him come up against numerous players he wore the red rose alongside during the recent Guinness Six Nations — in which Coles was an ever‑present in Steve Borthwick’s matchday squad.
“Off the pitch I get on really well with a lot of them, but that is all going to be put to the side for this game,” Coles said of his friends within the Leicester camp. “As a team they have been impressive. They put us to the sword at Welford Road recently, and they’ve also turned up against us at home in the last few years. They are a real threat and we are taking nothing for granted.”
An ankle injury picked up in that thrilling Six Nations finale against France — in which Coles scored his first international try — saw him miss two months of action before making a try‑scoring return in the 94-33 defeat of Bristol Bears last month.
He went the distance in the victory over Gloucester before sitting out the loss to Harlequins last weekend.
“It is really nice to be back,” he said. “It was frustrating to get injured right at the end of that last Six Nations game. I was looking forward to coming back to Saints and picking up where we left off.
“To get the injury was a bit of a blow, but it might have been a blessing in disguise as it gave me a few weeks off running into 130‑kilogram men, so my shoulders are feeling a bit better than they did before. I’m feeling fresh going into, hopefully, these last couple of games.
“It’s been nice to get a few 80‑minute performances in me leading into it, so I’m not coming into it too raw for this game.”