Radford keen to put steel into the Saints

NEVER one to shy away from a challenge as a child growing up on the largest council estate in Europe, Northampton’s new defence coach Lee Radford knows a thing or two about resilience – something the Saints lacked in abundance in protecting their own line last year.

- JON NEWCOMBE

Coming from the east side of the city, Radford was born to support Hull KR, the Robins, but it was at their deadly rivals Hull FC where he played and coached, famously being sacked live on TV by a boss who’d conveniently overlooked back-to-back Challenge Cup wins in 2016 and 2017.

In the most unique of rugby league towns, Radford developed a skin as thick as his Hull accent whenever the stick came his way so crossing codes, when he has previously crossed staunch geographical divides, is not something that necessarily fazes the jovial 44-year-old charity boxer with the capacity to bounce back off the ropes.

After losing his job at Hull in 2020, Radford was all set for his first-ever coaching stint in professional rugby union, with new MLR franchise Dallas Jackals. But Covid put paid to that and he took another job in Super League instead, at Castleford, whilst also steering Samoa to their first-ever Rugby League World Cup final.

Radford seemed certain to go to the NRL in Australia once his time at Cas was up but Saints came calling, determined to rid themselves of their defensive frailties by going down a well-worn path and recruiting from rugby league.

Defences in rugby union have been heavily influenced by incomers from league ever since John Muggleton stamped his mark on the 1999 World Cup-winning Wallabies, who lifted the Webb Ellis Cup after only conceding one try all tournament. And on the face of it, Radford is in a no-lose position; Saints’ defence can hardly be any worse than last season when they top-scored with 91 tries but conceded 95 at the other end, only one fewer than bottom club Newcastle.