Phil Dowson: 'It’s just ‘blah’. You are just living in the past'

Phil Dowson has cited England’s World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson and basketball legend Michael Jordan as examples of having the “relentless” mindset required for sustained sporting success.

Gallagher Premiership champions Northampton will aim to achieve what only three clubs have managed in the competition’s 27-year history this season – successfully defend the title.

Saracens were the last club to do it in 2019, with the feat also previously being accomplished by Leicester and Wasps.

Johnson was part of a Leicester team that won four successive Premiership crowns, while Jordan and the Chicago Bulls landed six NBA championships between 1991 and 1998.

“I think it is a good challenge for us, and not something we have had to deal with for quite some time,” Saints rugby director Dowson said.

“I think there are loads of variables, but I also think the sides that do that (successfully defend titles) generally don’t over-celebrate their success and don’t spend ages talking about it, and we haven’t.

“They move on pretty quickly, they understand the core values of what they did previously, and they continue to evolve.

“You look at some of the characters and the mindset within those groups – say the Bulls or Saracens or Leicester – characters who are pretty relentless and bloody-minded.

“There was Martin Johnson in that, Owen Farrell, Michael Jordan in that, people who want to achieve greatness.

“And I think that will be an interesting challenge to see if we have got some people within our group, and I include myself, who are willing to push that hard again.

“With the number of players who have left, particularly in the forwards, one of the exciting things is to see which players step up, and I am really excited about seeing the evolution.”

Northampton won their first Premiership crown for 10 years by beating Bath at Twickenham three months ago.

They meet again in the west country on Friday when the new campaign kicks off, with Saints beginning life minus influential players like Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam and Alex and Ethan Waller, who have either moved to French club rugby or retired.

Alex Mitchell’s late try ensured title glory at Bath’s expense, but Dowson insists it is all now history.

“That chapter is closed. We celebrated it, we had a great weekend – from what we can remember of it!” he added.

“If we keep chasing the trophy around and talking about it, it’s just ‘blah’. You are just living in the past.

“That was last season. We were champions last season. This season, everyone starts on zero.

“We are not going to rip up the playbook because there is no need at the moment.

“Are there things we are going to have to be better at? Undoubtedly. Are we going to be able to just continue to trot out the same stuff that we have been doing? No.

“It’s trying to find out what you can tweak and what you can evolve, and what are the things that you just want to keep humming along in their own set way.”