"I stress-test my coaches' ideas but ultimately you have to let the bakers bake"

Northampton Saints' director of rugby explains how to be an effective coach

- PHIL DOWSON

I NEVER ACTUALLY wanted to be a coach. I was entirely focused on playing during my career but when I finished and did a few days working in a bank, I realised I didn't really like commuting, so I stuck with rugby. So it has been a journey to becoming director of rugby at Northampton Saints.

Now I'm developing my coaching style and skills week on week. I'm always looking beyond rugby to expand my knowledge and management skill-set. Sam Vesty and I have a kind of book club where we recommend reads to one another that help us learn new ways of thinking.

I was given Carlo Ancelotti's book by our sports psychologist and read it over the summer. There are always things to be learned. That quiet leadership style is something that I really admire and look to utilise. However, I do things slightly differently myself.