"I'd Love to be Involved in Another Lions Tour" - 5 Talking Points: Courtney Lawes & Phil Dowson Speak After Northampton Saints Win Premiership Title

There was plenty to discuss following the final whistle, as the coaches and captains from both Bath and Northampton Saints gave their post-match reactions. Courtney Lawes took the reporting media off guard, as he arrived in the Twickenham press centre topless and sporting a pair of blue tinted ski goggles. Lawes explained how the goggles were to protect his eyes from the spraying celebratory alcohol, and is not sure where he left his final Northampton jersey with the scenes turning 'messy' in the Saints changing rooms.

Lawes and Dowson spoke at length to the media, covering everything from their Premiership Final performance to the prospect of Courtney's international return with the 2025 British & Irish Lions. Here are the top five talking points from the Northampton Saints press conference, following the 2024 Premiership Rugby Final win over Bath.

1. Perfect Send Off for Courtney Despite not being the Perfect Saints Performance

COURTNEY LAWES: "To be honest, I couldn’t believe we had actually won it because we tried so hard to lose it. At the end of the game, I was actually pretty pissed off. Slowly it has kind of settled in. We did what we needed to. We got across the finish line, and that’s what rugby is. Sometimes it doesn’t look pretty, and it certainly didn’t today, but we won, and that’s what matters."

“I think it will take a bit of time to set in. You always focus on the next thing in rugby, the next job is always so important. I played my last game at Franklin’s Gardens last week, and you barely take a moment to appreciate it because you’ve got a bigger game the week after. Because of that, you are never really looking backwards or too far forwards. It takes a little while to sink in.

There are a lot of things I will never do again at the Saints, but I owe the club so much. It won’t be the last time I contribute something to the club. I’m just really happy to have been able to deliver what the club deserves, really.”

PHIL DOWSON: “Loads has been written about his playing ability, and the way he’s evolved in the game, going second row to back row, his turnover ability, carrying the ball. He’s always had the ability to cut people in half and lineout ability. Courts has had the desire and mentality to get better.

But more importantly this year is how much he’s added to the group. We’ve got a young group, there’s no hiding that. His presence and the confidence is really obvious through the group in games like today, games like last week or at Croke Park. Courts has been there and done that on the biggest stages. Players look to him and that is something that is intangible. That has a huge impact on the players around the group. He has allowed them to grow.”

COURTNEY LAWES: "I don't think it's any secret, I'd love to be involved in another Lions tour. It's not the same, you know, the reason I retired from international rugby is because I didn't want to be away every couple of months, for months on end. Whereas the Lions is two months, I can bring my family out and we can have a good time. Having said that, I'm not expecting it. But if I do get the opportunity I'll be there."

PHIL DOWSON: "I think you forget that he's 22. We've talked about him loads, he's mature beyond his years, he's incredibly ambitious and driven. He's frustrated, he's always his harshest critic. So he's always frustrated with some element of his game that hasn't gone as well as he would have liked to have done. And that's where the growth is.

"The fact that he's always… a bit like Courts, he's always pushing, he always wants to be better. It's never quite right, and I think that bodes really well for the future and make sure that we can give him as much guidance around how his game can grow. Yeah, to put the game on his back and to be that playmaker and that fulcrum of our attack, is huge and we obviously love him. We've loved him since we watched him at Worcester Warriors, we know what he's capable of and he's going to get better."

COURTNEY LAWES: “It is important to appreciate everyone who has contributed this season. It really has been a squad effort. The people that don’t get to play that you don’t see at the weekend are the ones that do the hard graft. They prepare us and make sure we are ready to go at the weekend. It’s the ending that you obviously want.

"There are not really any words to describe it. We’ve worked so hard this season, it’s been amazing for me to watch the growth of the team and this year especially. Seeing so many young players step up and take the bull by the horns, this team is going places. I look forward to supporting them and watching them along the way.”

PHIL DOWSON: "I think the point that Courts raises, there's loads of people leaving. You know, and Tom Cruise, all these lads, Cal Braley there's guys who are moving on who have contributed so much to the group, either from a playing point of view, a training point of view or an environment point of view. So we want to make sure, well, firstly, we wanted to make sure that today was in respect to that.

"Also that, we tried to leave on the right note. As Court said, a whole host of things could have been different, but in this situation, this was the best way to knock on the head and do something different."

PHIL DOWSON: Yeah, he's actually obviously done it a few times this evening. He's come off the bench and he's had an impact. I've said it before, he's like a freak of an athlete very, very fast, powerful and seems to get through contact. And he did again today. It's great having that game changing ability to come on, particularly somebody so young and so fresh. And so fearless really.