New Northampton deal for Jim Mallinder

Jim Mallinder has celebrated Northampton‘s Premiership and Amlin Cup double by putting pen to paper on a new five-year deal.
The Saints Director of Rugby arrived at Franklin’s Gardens in the summer of 2007 and has since lead them to nine finals winning five of them.
On Saturday, they beat Saracens in extra-time to claim their first ever Aviva Premiership title backing up their Amlin Challenge Cup triumph a week earlier against Bath.
“This is a superb club and a brilliant job,” he said.
“There are not many positions like this in world rugby and I’ve loved every minute of being here. We’ve had a few ups and downs, but generally we’ve been on the up since being in the first division that first year.
“We’re getting better and better, not just as a team and a squad, but as a club, and it’s something I want to be a part of.
“We’ve got a very supportive board of directors, some outstanding staff both in the playing department and in the offices who work tirelessly, and it’s all part of a really good group of people that is moving the club forward.
“You always have to look forward and it’s exciting to have change. It’s great that we’re developing the stadium and we know that we have to produce the rugby that brings people in to watch us.
“I’m more motivated now than when I first came here. The challenges are huge. There are plenty of ambitious clubs in the Aviva Premiership and we want to be better than them.
“And while we are a sustainable business we are also a rugby club that wants to win games and win trophies and have some happy fans that come back each Saturday.”