'Important leader' Graham signs new deal at Saints

Graham has become a key man for the black, green and gold since moving to the club from Championship outfit Doncaster Knights back in 2022.

The 26-year-old has gone from strength to strength at Saints, racking up 31 appearances to date.

He has established himself as a hard-hitting and abrasive back rower in his two seasons in Northampton, cementing his place in Saints’ side as well as captaining the team on two occasions.

And boss Dowson is delighted to be keeping a player with Graham’s ability and work ethic at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

“From the moment we first spoke to Sam about coming to Northampton, I’ve been nothing but impressed by him,” Dowson said.

“His desire to grow and develop as a player has been second to none since then.

“Sam does a lot of the unseen, ugly stuff out there on the field – the selfless stuff that goes a long way in rugby.

“His understanding of our game and how he fits into it has improved tenfold, and it is testament to his hard work that he’s become an important leader within our group.

“These are exactly the kind of people we want to keep in our environment; the people who are desperate to keep getting better, and to see where they can get to personally, but also desperate to push the club on as well.

"Sam is exactly that kind of person, so we’re delighted to see him stay with us.”

Graham has taken his game to new heights this season and he was one of the stars of the show in last Friday's impressive Investec Champions Cup win against Toulon.

And he is delighted to be staying with Saints for the long term.

“I’m really excited about what we’re building here at Saints,” Graham said.

“In the fairly short amount of time I’ve been in Northampton, I’ve become heavily invested in the club and that’s credit to the way that both myself and my family have been welcomed into the tight-knit group here.

“My game has grown all round and I’ve loved being given the space to develop alongside some of the best players and coaches that there are in rugby.

“Signing on again was a really simple decision for me and I’m looking forward to what the next few seasons have in store – first and foremost from a career point of view, but also in my personal life – and I’m delighted I’ll be able to experience it all in Northampton.”