Saints stars give credit to Vesty

ALEX Mitchell and George Furbank, two of Northampton's current internationals, have hailed Sam Vesty as the best coach they have worked with.

- PAUL REES

Vesty, an outside-half/ full-back for Leicester and yesterday's Premiership final opponents Bath who won two England caps, Northampton's joined coaching team in 2018, a decision the club's then director of rugby Chris Boyd later described as one of the best he had ever made.

Vesty has been touted as a future England attack coach, a job he filled on a temporary basis on the 2017 tour to Argentina, and he was involved with the A side in the match against Portugal in March.

"Sam is probably the best coach I have had," said scrum-half Mitchell, who finished a season at Twickenham that started when he was left out of the World Cup squad only to be called up when Jack van Poortvliet was injured and establish himself in the starting side.

"It is the way he sees the game and the energy he brings. He knows how to win matches and always has little tweaks depending on the opposition. I love dealing with him and he is a first-class coach."

Mitchell is one of a number of players whose game has developed under Vesty to the point where they have become first choice in their position for England. Furbank is another, having displaced Freddie Steward during the Six Nations.