Dowson says Saints would have loved to have Sale-bound Lawes back
Phil Dowson admits Saints would have loved to have Courtney Lawes back next season but says the club already has its 'hands full trying to keep hold of this really talented group of players'.
On Monday, it was announced by Lawes' current club, Brive, that he would be returning to England next season.
And a day later, Sale Sharks confirmed the signing of the 37-year-old on a one-year deal.
Lawes won two PREM titles with Saints, becoming a club legend after emerging from the Academy before departing in the summer of 2024.
And though Dowson would have happily welcomed him home ahead of next season, there was never any real chance that Lawes would be returning to Saints.
"This late in the season, with the recruitment we've already done, it was very difficult," Dowson said, when asked by this publication whether he had tried to tempt Lawes back to Saints.
"We would love to have him back because he's a class act, he's done so much for this club and I think he'd be really valuable for this young group, but as it stands we've got our hands full trying to keep hold of this really talented group of players and we'll have to deal with playing against him next year."
Discussing the news that Lawes will be back in the PREM next season, Dowson said: "It's amazing news! It's good for English rugby.
"He messaged me on Monday night and told me he would be coming back (to England) and that it wouldn't be the Saints, which I probably already knew!
"I've got so much respect for Courts, what he's done in the game, what he's still capable of and what he's done in Pro D2 because he's done incredibly well there as well.
"It will be really interesting to see him in a different shirt and that will take some getting used to, but I think it's good for the game and it creates another narrative.
"It's an exciting time to see the old man go at it."