Callum Chick embraces chasing 'lost causes' as Northampton push on

Callum Chick’s value to Northampton was underlined in the 55th minute of their recent win at the Rec, when his desperate tackle on Henry Arundell forced a turnover that led to a counter-try 13 seconds later. Director of rugby Phil Dowson used the clip to highlight Chick’s hustle and willingness to chase lost causes, crediting that effort with creating the opportunity for George Hendy and Henry Pollock to finish the move.

Chick downplays his role in the score, but says Northampton deliberately practise turnover work and pride themselves on being one of the hardest-working teams off the ball. The 29-year-old left Newcastle last summer after a decade at the club, aiming to add to the two England caps he won in 2021.

His arrival has helped give Saints’ pack a tougher edge; the team leads the league in dominant contacts, carries and tackles. Chick says team culture and big figures such as JJ van der Mescht have contributed to that physicality, while teammates like Trevor Davison and housemate Josh Kemeny have helped him settle after the move.

He praises Northampton’s rugby-focused community and regular sellout crowds, and accepts that squad rotation — Dowson rested key players for the Bath game — will be important across a long season as the club targets domestic and European success.

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