A part of Saints’ set-up since he was 13, Alex Coles signed on full-time with the Club ahead of the 2018/19 season.
Featuring for both The Perse School and Shelford RFC while making his way through the junior ranks at Northampton, Coles quickly progressed and was soon playing above his age group for Saints’ Under-18s during the 2016/17 season before joining the Senior Academy the following summer.
And after featuring for Wanderers, Coles made his first-team debut in the Premiership Rugby Cup in November 2018 before scoring his first try in Black, Green and Gold in January 2019 in Saints’ historic 111-3 win over Timisoara Saracens, before making his Premiership debut just a month later.
Coles – who is capable of playing in the second or back row – has also earned international recognition, featuring for England Under-16s, Under-18s, and Under-19s before starring throughout the Under-20s’ 2019 season as he represented the Red Rose in both the Six Nations and World Rugby Under-20 Championship.
During the 2021/22 season, Coles took on the captain’s armband for the first time – leading the side against London Irish and Harlequins in the Premiership Rugby Cup. A successful campaign (in which Saints qualified for the Premiership play-offs) ended with Coles making 29 appearances and being named Breakthrough Player of the Season at the Club’s annual awards ceremony.
And Coles’ reward for his stellar performances would come in the form of an England call-up and three caps in the Red Rose during the 2022 Autumn Nations Series.
