By JON NEWCOMBE

Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson has paid tribute to new defence coach Lee Radford and his players for the remarkable turnaround which has seen them become one of the hardest teams to break down in the Premiership.
Last season Northampton were a joy to watch in attack but a nightmare to watch in defence – scoring 91 tries but conceding 95, while giving up a try bonus point to the opposition in 15 league matches.
It was Northampton’s worst defensive season ever in the Premiership, beating the 84 tries they leaked in 2021/22, and something had to change if they were...