Saints No.8 Chick bids to cap birthday week with long-awaited win at Bristol

He did have a potential birthday meal planned for the evening - "it's pretty quiet for a Chick birthday" - but the No.8 will be hoping the real celebration comes this weekend.

Chick and his Saints team-mates return to Gallagher PREM action on Saturday as they travel to Bristol Bears (kick-off 5.45pm).

But they know they will have their work cut out to secure a win at what has been an unhappy hunting ground for the black, green and gold as well as Chick, who joined Saints from Newcastle during the summer.

"I'm really looking forward to it," Chick said.

"Obviously we had a PREM Rugby Cup block where I didn't play a huge amount of rugby so I'm just really looking forward to getting going again.

"Bristol, we know what type of game they're going to play, and Ashton Gate is never easy so it's going to be a good challenge for us.

"I've beaten Bristol once down there. That was a long time ago and I think I was only 20 then!

"The last time I went there I think we got beaten 82-7 so there have been some days I don't really want to remember!"

The same goes for Saints, who have been humbled on more than one occasion at Ashton Gate.

The black, green and gold have not won a league game at Bristol since November 2021.

Since then, they have been beaten 62-8, 52-21 and most recently 31-23 in league encounters at Ashton Gate.

"This game is hugely important!" Chick said.

"The cup was important for boys who haven't played a huge amount of rugby to get going, show their worth and get a chance in the PREM stuff.

"Now we're back into the PREM, we're top and we haven't lost yet but it's something we haven't really spoken about.

"But what we have spoken about is the reason why we haven't lost yet and the little things that people don't see that has put us in that position.

"For us now, going away there it's about doing those things, building from that and exactly the same in the European block.

"Saints obviously went to the final in Europe last year so we've got to take it game by game and hopefully we can start well in that."

Chick feels well rested having not started a game since the victory at his former club, Newcastle, on October 17.

He has made two appearances from the bench since then as well as enjoying a bye week and a week where he was rested completely.

"Back up the road (when he was at Newcastle), I was playing most weekends so it was kind of nice to let the body rest and also let the mind have a rest and some time away from playing games," Chick said.

"I'm feeling fresh and raring to get back into it.

"The coaches are really good and myself and Dows (Phil Dowson) had a conversation fairly early in the PREM block about where I'd be looking to get my game time and an opportunity to rest up.

"It's nice to know there's a plan on where you can put your energy, which weeks you can target and which weeks you can have some downtime and chill out a little bit."

So could this rest even help Chick extend his career well into his 30s?

"I don't know about that!," he said, conceding he currently feels closer to 40 than 18. "The body might give up before that but it would be nice, wouldn't it?"

Chick has been given a new lease of life after leaving Newcastle for Northampton.

He had spent all of his professional career at Kingston Park and was determined to try something different.

"I've loved it!" Chick said.

"Moving down to Northampton was a bit of a change from Newcastle as you can imagine, but as far as the club and the rugby, I've loved it.

"There's such a good group of boys here who are mates and they're close with each other so they've been really welcoming.

"The coaches are all really good blokes but also good coaches and they want us to get better and challenge each other.

"It's been exciting and having played here at Franklin's Gardens as an away player, to get the opportunity to do it as a home player has been pretty special."

Such was the early impression Chick made at Saints that he was selected to captain the side in some key fixtures with regular skipper George Furbank out injured at that time.

And Chick was hugely honoured to be able to lead his new team so early in his Gardens career.

"It was pretty special," he said.

"We're pretty lucky here in the sense there are so many good players and good leaders so it makes that job very easy.

"I've obviously got experience from Newcastle of speaking to the ref a lot.

"Coming down here and getting the opportunity (to captain the team) was pretty cool and I wasn't expecting it.

"I wouldn't say it was difficult. It's the sort of thing you get used to.

"I did it for a while at Newcastle and coming down here, it's easy when you're winning.

"They're a great group of lads and whoever is captain, it makes life much easier with the people you've got around you."

Chick helped Saints to get off to a flying start in the PREM as they remain unbeaten and currently sit top of the table.

Key to that has been improving the away form which saw Phil Dowson's men win just once on the road in the league last season.

Saints have already won twice away in the PREM during this campaign, beating Gloucester and Newcastle.

"It was something we spoke about in pre-season," Chick said. "We had a conversation about those away games and not having come away with wins last season.

"If you want to do well in this league you've got to come away with points when you go on the road because it's so tight now. You have to get points wherever you can.

"The fact we've won our first two away games is obviously a huge plus for us.

"We're back on the road this weekend so hopefully we can keep it going, but playing against Bristol is never going to be easy."

Chick will be key to Saints' chances of beating the Bears as he brings huge experience and a warrior spirit to the side.

And he feels he has been able to improve his performances since making the move to Northampton.

"Yeah, 100 per cent," he said when asked if he feels switching to Saints has helped him to get better.

"I've been spending time with Dows, Sam Vesty, Lee Radford, Jim Henry, James Craig and pulling up clips and seeing in meetings where I can develop.

"Then I've got a chance to do them in and around training.

"At 29, I'm not a young kid playing rugby but I think there's always an opportunity to get better, no matter what age you are."