New signing Adendorff backed to get up to speed quickly at Saints

South African back row forward Adendorff arrived for training at Franklin's Gardens this week, having moved to Northampton from French second division side Aurillac.

The 28-year-old is a former IRB Junior Player of the Year nominee and has also has represented South Africa’s sevens team, the Blitzboks.

He will be hoping to compete with Teimana Harrison for the No.8 shirt, while also offering Saints an extra option at flanker.

And Adendorff is now acclimatising to life at his new club, having initially been forced to wait to link up with his new team-mates.

"While he was in France, he'd been liaising with the strength and conditioners and with me and Sam (Vesty) regarding some calling structures, just getting the names of some plays," Dowson said.

"He's slowly getting up to speed and now he's in the environment, he'll pick that up very quickly."

Adendorff has lofty ambitions at Saints, recently outlining his aims.

"Every professional rugby player wants to leave a legacy," Adendorff said.

"I've got two boys and they're already so crazy about rugby and I want them to be able to say 'that's my dad, he's playing in the Premiership and he's doing really well and he's a legend within his right'.

"I want my kids to be able to talk about me like that and I have to do as much as I can.

"No one wants to be like 'my dad was just a rugby player' and not be able to mention anything else about him.

"I want to do as much as I can for my kids to be like 'wow, my dad was an amazing rugby player' and they will follow in my footsteps.

"We can take it from there and make the next generation of rugby players."

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