Hairstyles the hot topic as Saints get used to pre-season feel at Franklin's Gardens

The black, green and gold have now completed two weeks of socially-distanced preparations as light appears at the end of the lockdown tunnel.

The Premiership season is scheduled to resume on the weekend of August 15, while it was this week announced that Saints' Champions Cup quarter-final at Exeter Chiefs will be played on the weekend of September 19, all being well.

And when asked about how training is shaping up at Saints since they returned to Franklin's Gardens on June 15, Waller said: "It’s quite strange as it does feel exactly like a pre-season camp so far – the weather, the time of year, and the time off we’ve had.

“This is the longest amount of time anyone has had off in their careers really.

"I was speaking to Owen Franks the other day and he said this is the first pre-season he’s done since 2009 because he’s usually been away with the All Blacks.

“He says his body is feeling brilliant for it, so there is a silver lining to this cloud which is that the lads have been able to rest and regenerate.

"On a personal level, I’m still recovering from my (Achilles) surgery and so I’ve not missed any rugby either.

“Hopefully we can fly back into the season, we’ll all be rested and fresh, and that will play into our hands a bit.”

Hairstyles have been the hot topic at Saints so far this summer.

Waller explained: “Reece Marshall has definitely come back with the worst lockdown hairdo; he’s bleached the top half of his head so it looks like a bit of a botched Eminem job.

"It’s an interesting look - almost Dennis Rodman-esque from The Last Dance on Netflix.

“He’s in my group as well so I have to see him every day, as is Paul Hill, whose fiancée cut his hair too and it looks like she did it in the dark - although she’s just had a baby so we’ll let her off.”

Saints have been training on the field and in the gym within smaller groups of five to eight players, with every group assigned their own areas of the ground to arrive, complete safety checks and train.

While the process still feels a little unusual to Waller, the loosehead prop revealed the squad are just enjoying being back together again.

He said: “It’s been a really good couple of weeks so far, getting back to a little more normality and back into the routine of training, and taking the first steps back towards playing rugby again.

“It does feel a bit strange as while we are all working out at the same time, it still does feel a little like you are training alone because we are all split up!

“It’s great though to get back into the team environment and we are doing a session in the gym, followed by a full wipe down and disinfect of the equipment, and then we’re outside onto the pitch to do some running and skills-based fitness work – which has been fun in this weather.

“None of the coaches are in yet; it’s just the S&C guys, so it’s been interesting seeing them trying to teach us how to catch and pass!"