Developing coaches so key for Saints boss Boyd

And the Saints boss believes a bright future is in store for English rugby with a growing number of homegrown mentors making their way into the Gallagher Premiership.

Boyd has assembled a young, English core of coaches, with Phil Dowson, Sam Vesty, Matt Ferguson and Ian Vass all part of his management team.

Other clubs have started to follow suit, with Gloucester placing an emphasis on Englishmen, appointing Alex King and Dom Waldouck, both formerly of Saints, as part of George Skivington's team.

Boyd always wanted English coaches on his staff and he has been working hard to help them improve on and off the paddock.

The Saints staff spent much of lockdown on video calls gaining knowledge from various different influential figures in the world of sport.

And Boyd is pleased to see other clubs doing what Saints are doing in terms of appointing and enhancing English coaches.

"It's happened a bit by luck and coincidence and I just hope the RFU jump on it and do something about it," Boyd told BT Sport's Rugby Tonight programme.

"If you look at the production line of coaches who have come out of New Zealand, it's no surprise to me that some of the best work the New Zealand Rugby Union has done over the past few years has been in coach development.

"They've had some wonderful guys there and they have done some really good work around developing coaches.

"There is a critical mass of good, young English coaches now and they should be able to hold English rugby in good stead for years to come now.

"I'm in no doubt that the quickest way to upskill the greatest number of players is to upskill your coaches - I'm a massive believer in coach development.

"We've spent a lot of time in lockdown communicating with coaches in Australia, New Zealand and outside the rugby fraternity.

"We've read books together and done stuff and had a real chunk of coach development.

"I just hope the RFU put some resources into supporting these young English coaches.

"It's always been a bit of a wonder for me why there have been so few English international coaches who have cut their teeth in the Premiership.

"There doesn't seem to be a pathway there but I think there should be."