Hutchinson signs new deal at Saints

Rory Hutchinson has handed Saints a big boost by signing a new deal at the club.
Rory Hutchinson is staying at Saints (picture: Sharon Lucey)Rory Hutchinson is staying at Saints (picture: Sharon Lucey)
Rory Hutchinson is staying at Saints (picture: Sharon Lucey)

The 23-year old, whose form in recent weeks saw him named February’s Gallagher Premiership player of the month, has made 28 appearances for Saints.

He made his debut against Leicester Tigers in 2015 but a frustrating time with injuries limited his chances of making a first-team place his own.

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However, since the start of 2019, Hutchinson has been hugely influential, cementing a spot at centre thanks to some dazzling displays.

The former Scotland under-20 international has scored three tries in eight starts, and he is now hopeful he can take his game to a new level with Saints.

“This was a really straightforward decision for me to make and I’m very excited to be staying in Northampton,” Hutchinson said.

“I’m enjoying my rugby at the moment; obviously I had limited opportunities at the start of the season because of my injury, but I’ve loved playing in recent weeks and I’m certain Franklin’s Gardens is the best place for me to develop even further.

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“I’ve worked hard to get to this point and I’m learning all the time here from the coaches and a group of really gifted players around me.

“Sam (Vesty) and Chris (Boyd) in particular have really helped me to move my game forwards; they’ve opened my mind up to what’s possible for me on the pitch, and I’m really confident this squad can achieve a lot over the next few years.”

Born in Cambridge, Hutchinson joined the Saints Academy from Shelford before breaking into the first-team squad in earnest during the 2016/17 season – with his try against Exeter Chiefs on his first club start winning Northampton’s try of the season award.

Internationally Hutchinson has represented Scotland at both Under-18s and Under-20s level, playing in both the 2014 and 2015 World Rugby Under-20s Championships and Six Nations competitions to become the joint most-capped Scotland Under-20s player ever.

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“We are thrilled to have secured Rory’s signature,” added Saints boss Chris Boyd.

“He’s a very gifted footballer and works extremely hard to improve all aspects of his game.

“He was unlucky with injury at the start of this season, but after coming back he’s made a big impact and seeing how he has progressed in recent weeks is really pleasing for us.

“Keeping good young guys like Rory within our squad is really important to us and I’m very happy to see him sign on again.”