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This English town may not be the most exotic location globally, but its club delivers plenty of excitement and passion.

In a place known for shoe production, you might expect boot work to be the Northampton's primary strategy. However under the director of rugby Phil Dowson, the side in their distinctive colors prefer to run with the ball.

Even though representing a typically British town, they exhibit a style associated with the finest French exponents of champagne rugby.

From the time Dowson and the head coach Sam Vesty took over in 2022, the Saints have claimed victory in the Premiership and progressed well in the European competition – defeated by a French side in the ultimate match and eliminated by Leinster in a penultimate round before that.

They lead the league standings after multiple successes and a single stalemate and head to Bristol on Saturday as the just one without a loss, aiming for a maiden victory at Ashton Gate since 2021.

It would be expected to think Dowson, who featured in 262 elite fixtures for various teams in total, consistently aimed to be a manager.

“As a professional, I never seriously considered it,” he remarks. “However as you age, you realise how much you love the rugby, and what the real world entails. I worked briefly at a banking firm doing a trial period. You make the journey a few times, and it was difficult – you grasp what you do and don’t have.”

Talks with club legends led to a role at the Saints. Jump ahead several seasons and Dowson leads a squad increasingly crammed with internationals: Tommy Freeman, Fraser Dingwall, Alex Mitchell and Alex Coles were selected for the Red Rose versus the the Kiwis two weeks ago.

The young flanker also had a profound impact as a substitute in England’s successful series while Fin Smith, eventually, will take over the No 10 jersey.

Is the emergence of this exceptional group due to the Saints’ culture, or is it chance?

“It's a mix of each,” says Dowson. “My thanks go to the former director of rugby, who gave them opportunities, and we had difficult periods. But the experience they had as a unit is undoubtedly one of the reasons they are so close-knit and so skilled.”

Dowson also cites Jim Mallinder, an earlier coach at Franklin’s Gardens, as a key figure. “I’ve been fortunate to be mentored by really interesting individuals,” he says. “Mallinder had a major effect on my career, my coaching, how I interact with individuals.”

Northampton demonstrate appealing rugby, which was clearly evident in the case of the French fly-half. The Frenchman was involved with the Clermont XV overcome in the European competition in last season when the winger registered a triple. The player admired the style enough to buck the pattern of UK players moving to France.

“A friend rang me and stated: ‘We've found a fly-half from France who’s seeking a team,’” Dowson says. “I said: ‘We don’t have funds for a overseas star. Thomas Ramos will have to wait.’

‘He’s looking for new challenges, for the opportunity to challenge himself,’ my mate told me. That caught my attention. We spoke to Belleau and his communication was incredible, he was articulate, he had a witty personality.

“We asked: ‘What are your goals from this?’ He responded to be trained, to be pushed, to be facing unfamiliar situations and beyond the French league. I was like: ‘Welcome aboard, you’re a legend of a man.’ And he has been. We’re lucky to have him.”

Dowson says the emerging Henry Pollock provides a specific enthusiasm. Does he know an individual similar? “Not really,” Dowson answers. “All players are individual but he is different and unique in many ways. He’s unafraid to be himself.”

His breathtaking try against Leinster previously showcased his freakish ability, but a few of his animated during matches behavior have resulted in claims of overconfidence.

“On occasion appears cocky in his actions, but he’s far from it,” Dowson says. “Furthermore Pollock is not joking around constantly. Tactically he has ideas – he’s no fool. I think sometimes it’s shown that he’s merely a joker. But he’s intelligent and a positive influence in the squad.”

Not many directors of rugby would describe themselves as sharing a close bond with a colleague, but that is how Dowson frames his partnership with his co-coach.

“We both share an inquisitiveness around various topics,” he says. “We have a reading group. He aims to discover all aspects, aims to learn all there is, aims to encounter new experiences, and I think I’m the similar.

“We discuss numerous things away from the game: movies, reading, thoughts, culture. When we met Stade [Français] in the past season, the landmark was undergoing restoration, so we had a little wander around.”

One more fixture in the French nation is coming up: Northampton’s comeback with the domestic league will be brief because the Champions Cup takes over next week. Pau, in the foothills of the border region, are the initial challenge on matchday before the Bulls arrive at the following weekend.

“I’m not going to be presumptuous enough to {