'Something I will always be proud of' - departing James on Saints stay

On Friday afternoon, it was confirmed that the scrum-half will be leaving the black, green and gold at the end of the season as he has signed for Saracens.

To date, the 32-year-old has made 112 appearances for Saints, scoring 119 points, including 23 tries.

James moved to Northampton from Doncaster Knights in the summer of 2020, stepping up to the Gallagher PREM for the first time in his career.

He will leave Saints with at least one league winners’ medal to his name and having made more than a century of appearances for the club.

And James said: “My time at Saints has gone incredibly quickly.

“This is my seventh season here, and I leave with so many special memories, feeling incredibly privileged to have played for such a special club during such a successful period.

“To win the PREM, play in a European final, and make over 100 appearances for a club with so much history and tradition is something I will always be proud of.

“I arrived as a 25-year-old who had never played at the highest level, and I feel I’ve developed hugely during my time here. That is a real credit to the coaches and performance staff who backed me, challenged me and gave me the opportunity to grow as a player.

“While this feels like the right time to take on a new challenge, leaving this group and the environment we’ve built at Saints is incredibly difficult.

"I’ve made friends for life, tons of special memories and connections, and feel proud knowing the club is in an even better place than when I arrived.

“Playing in front of such passionate supporters and being part of the Northampton community – particularly contributing where I could to the incredible impact of Northampton Saints Foundation – has meant a great deal to me, and I remain fully focused on finishing this season strongly and hopefully adding more silverware before I move on.”