Dickens not fazed by dual role at Saints after King exit

The assistant coach, who was formerly a player at Northampton before moving into the management team, is helping to fill the void left by Alex King.

King’s departure was announced last Friday, bringing an end to his spell at attack coach - a role he took up in the summer of 2013.

Saints boss Jim Mallinder said that Dickens, who typically oversees the defensive side of the team’s game, would play his part in helping out with the attack while the club seeks a replacement for King.

And Dickens is happy to be involved on both fronts, feeling it is a positive for him in the long term.

“It’s not something new - I’ve done it before,” said the former scrum-half, who stepped up from his role as Academy coach when Paul Grayson left Saints in November, 2012.

“I did it four years ago. This November in 2012 was when I stepped up into the role and I did both. I’m happy doing both now.

“I don’t see myself as a defence coach. I see myself as a rugby coach who coaches defence and now, in terms of my career, doing both helps me in the future.

“Jim’s asked me to do it and I’m happy to do it now.”

King left in the build-up to last Saturday’s Champions Cup game against Montpellier, which Saints won 16-14 thanks to a late Stephen Myler penalty.

And when asked what has been different for him since King exited the club, Dickens said: “I don’t think there was difference .

“The sessions were pretty simple in terms of what we wanted to do and credit to the boys that they listened, took it on board and we got the result we wanted.”