Have you ever wondered who would make up the all-time Northampton Saints XV? Well, the Club’s main partner, Travis Perkins, have decided to answer that question once and for all!
After rounding off the voting for the front row, we move into the engine room and voting is now open to select two locks. Just fill in the form below to tell us your favourite ever Saintsman to play in the second row – the top two results will make the final XV.
Voting will continue over the next few weeks, asking Saints supporters to select their favourite-ever players to don the Black, Green and Gold jersey until we have the ultimate Saints XV.
And for each position, one lucky voter will be selected at random to win one of 15 exclusive ‘WE MARCH ON’ bobble hats up for grabs!
But with over 2,000 Saints to choose from, we’ve narrowed the lock category down to these six nominees to help you make your choice:
Vince Cannon – #1404
1973-1989 | 438 apps
Kettering-born Cannon was a fixture in the Saints team throughout his 16 years at the Gardens, a period in which he racked up 438 appearances – easily the most for a second-row forward and the third highest in the history of the club. His scoring prowess was not too bad either, and he crossed the whitewash 74 times and landed a solitary conversion for a points tally of 298.
Tim Rodber – #1588
1988-2001 | 235 apps
A powerful back row who later moved to lock, Rodber was synonymous with Northampton Saints during the 1990s. He made his international debut in 1992, won the World Cup Sevens with England in 1993, and was an integral part of the successful 1997 British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa. But the image that stands out of Rodber is one of the most iconic in the Club’s history as he helped to lift the Heineken Cup in 2000, finally helping the team he served for 13 years (five of which as captain) to claim Europe’s top prize.
Jon Phillips – #1616
1991-2004 | 322 apps
Times have changed a bit since Phillips played (and scored) in Saints’ first-ever Premiership match back in August 1997, but there’s no doubting his place in the Club’s pantheon of second row legends. After making his debut at just 16, the robust and dependable lock went on to make 322 appearances for Northampton, and was a part of the 2000 Heineken Cup-winning side.
Martin Bayfield – #1629
1991-1998 | 98 apps
At just under 7ft tall, Bayfield was one of the tallest players in rugby – a gift he used to full advantage as one of Northampton’s most potent forwards. After juggling his Police career with rugby from 1985-89, he arrived at Saints a professional in 1991 after making his England debut that summer. The lock went on to win 31 international caps, winning two Grand Slams and playing in the 1995 World Cup. In 1993, he was selected to represent the British & Irish Lions in New Zealand and played in all three Tests, and in 1995 he was voted RFU Player of the Year.
Courtney Lawes – #1853
2007- | 231* apps
Lawes was raised just a stone's throw from Franklin's Gardens, and his world-class talent has made him indispensable to both Saints and England over the last decade. Lawes has been a constant throughout the most-successful period in Northampton’s history, winning the Premiership (2014), European Challenge Cup (2011 and 2014), LV=Cup (2010) and Premiership Rugby Cup (2019) titles in his 231 appearances to date for Saints. Add into that 85 England Tests, three Six Nations titles, one British & Irish Lions tour and a Rugby World Cup final appearance, and Lawes undeniably has one of the most complete CV’s in rugby today.
Christian Day – #1859
2008-2018 | 226 apps
After arriving at Saints in 2008, Day retired a decade later with 226 appearances to his name in the Black, Green and Gold jersey – also scoring 16 tries along the way. An immense set-piece operator, Day enjoyed a similarly trophy-laden Saints career to Lawes and was rewarded for his contribution to the 2013/14 double-winning squad with the Players’ Player of the Season accolade.
Samu Manoa – #1910
2011-2015 | 121 apps
Manoa was a Saint for just four years, but that was plenty of time to endear himself to the Franklin’s Gardens faithful – winning the Club’s Supporters’ Player of the Year award twice in consecutive seasons between 2012 and 2014. Also devastating at No.8, Manoa was a key part of 2013/14’s Premiership and Challenge Cup title wins, and scored an impressive 25 tries as he racked up a century of Saints appearances in a blistering four-season spell in Northampton.
Know who’s got your vote? Just fill in the form below to cast your vote and be entered into the prize draw! And keep your eyes peeled for the final team on our social media channels once the voting is complete...
