Aviva Premiership side the Northampton Saints have always been known as a side that invests in youth and that was once again proved when Jim Mallinder signed youngster Tom Stephenson for the senior academy of the club, dubbing him as a player for the future. The Saints have also confirmed on their website that New Zealand winger Teimana Harrison, who recently came off the bench for the club against the London Wasps for his first game for The Saints as well as Jack Allcock, another winger, will also join the senior academy of the club at the start of the next season.
The 17 year old Stephenson was with the Wanderers last season and he was a mainstay of the club’s reserve side. He is being considered as a future captain of the Scotland rugby team and is currently captaining the country’s Under – 18 side and has shown immense maturity and strength that will fool anyone about his age.
According to Mallinder, the boss of the Northampton Saints, Tom Stephenson has been a standout performer for his Wanderers side as well as the England national team in the Under – 18 division and it was his outstanding performances that make him one of the best performances and a signing for the future for The Saints. Mallinder also added that in his very short stint with the senior academy of the club, he has impressed the coaches immensely who are already pinning their hopes on the youngster as a potential superstar to lead the club to the top in a few years’ time.
The Northampton Saints are considered as a club with immense potential and it is only a matter of time that they translate that potential to trophies and it with Stephenson on board, the future looks all the more bright for the side.