Northampton plumbed the depths last season, leading to the mid-term sacking of Jim Mallinder after over a decade as coach at Franklin’s Gardens. The Saints squad left Mallinder in the lurch with a series of displays that highlighted a lack of leadership, direction and discipline on the pitch. Nowhere was this more evident than in a pack in which a sizeable international contingent, including captain Dylan Hartley, failed to punch its weight.
One of the few forwards who could hold his head up was all-action blindside Jamie Gibson, but even he was guilty when it came to the serial off...