My Life in Rugby: Johnny Howard – former Northampton and England Sevens scrum-half
I made my Premiership debut at Bristol in the 2000/01 season as a replacement for Matt Dawson, it was a big day for me and the family and I remember not being able to sleep the night before.
Matt was a top, top No.9, one of the best in the world. He was in his own bubble a little bit so he wasn’t always the easiest to approach, but you didn’t need to talk to him too much, you just had to watch how he applied himself in training.
I can quite comfortably say that Wayne Smith is the best coach I worked with. He took my game onto another level during my ten years at Saints. He told me that I wasn’t going to get much game time when he first arrived so he sent me away to be with England Sevens.
I felt rejected initially but it turned out to be a great move because I came back a more skilful and confident player, having played in front of 40-50,000 crowds and being part of a successful team in Hong Kong.
Being a ‘Saintsman’, where you all bought into a certain way of life and culture, was a big thing of his and it was interesting to see that. Andrew Mehrtens, who’d worked with Smithy at Canterbury and was a team-mate of mine at Beziers, shared the same sort of values: basically we were s*** scared of being late!
I made over 100 senior appearances for Saints and I’ll never forget getting my centurion’s cap and leading the team out against Harlequins, it was pretty damn special. In the last couple of years I was pretty much the first-choice nine and it was great to play a part in helping the club back into the Premiership after relegation.
Whilst not a major prize, lifting the EDF Trophy at Twickenham alongside Darren Fox, who was also leaving, was a memorable way for my career at Franklin’s Gardens to finish.
I had mixed emotions about leaving Saints to take up a good offer from Bayonne in the Top 14 in 2008. But, looking back, I have no regrets about any of the decisions I made in my career. I was interested to hear my very good friend Dylan Hartley say a couple of weeks ago how proud he was to have stayed at one club.
I could understand what he was saying because Saints was my club, too. It was quite funny because he called me a few times to ask what Montpellier was like as a place to live while he was deliberating over his next contract. I was desperate for him to come down but I fully understand why he decided to stay. What Jim Mallinder and Dorian West have done is fantastic; Saints look a real champion team. It’s funny how they seem to have improved since I left!
Moving to France couldn’t have worked out better. I’ve two Beziers-born children with my French partner and we run a restaurant/bar which celebrates its second anniversary next month.
It’s called La Charniere, which translates as half-back/meeting place. We specialise in top-notch British fish and chips and burgers. Controversial, I know, but controversial sells.
And, despite what the French say about English food, it’s not only Brits that eat here.
Recently we bought a van with a Union Jack down the side that serves our food at weddings, parties and at the beach. I’m also in the process of buying L’Hôtel d’Angleterre.
With a name like that it should be in English hands!
