James Ramm leaves Northampton for Western Force with door open to return in 2028

James Ramm will leave Northampton Saints at the end of the current season to join the Western Force on a two-year deal, the 28-year-old winger has confirmed, with the 2027 Rugby World Cup on home soil the primary motivation behind his move.

Ramm, who has scored 32 tries in 74 appearances for the Saints since joining from the Waratahs, announced his departure in February but says the reality of leaving is only now beginning to sink in as he faces the last two — potentially three — games of the season.

“I think it’s definitely becoming more real,” Ramm said. “We had the leaving ceremony after the game on the weekend, and when you get presented with your jersey, it’s definitely starting to hit home a bit more that, you know, this is it.”

The decision, he stressed, was not made lightly. Lengthy conversations with his wife about what they wanted from their next chapter were central to the process, and the couple had long accepted that a return to Australia was inevitable — the question was simply one of timing.

“The pull of a home World Cup was really a big factor in our decision,” Ramm said. “I just thought if I can throw everything at it, and if I looked back on this time and thought I’d wish I had — I’d really regret it. So I’m just sort of putting everything in place to make sure that I don’t look back and regret anything.”

Practical realities are also making the transition feel more immediate. “Trying to pack your life up is quite a task,” he admitted. “We’ve collected a lot of just random little bits over the four years, and we think, ‘What are we going to do with all this stuff?’ So trying to pack boxes and ship stuff back is a job.”

Despite the emotion of the farewell, Ramm was clear that his relationship with Northampton remains entirely positive and that a return to Franklin’s Gardens when his Western Force contract expires in 2028 is something he would consider.

“Coming back? I’m not opposed to it at all. I’ve got no bad words for this place, so we’ll see where the next two years take us,” he said.

Ramm’s situation draws a parallel with Wallabies centre Len Ikitau, whose agent has opened talks with Exeter Chiefs about a second spell at Sandy Park once his Rugby Australia contract concludes after the 2027 World Cup — another example of a player balancing the ambition of a home tournament with the prospect of returning to a club where he made his name.