Pearson backs Northampton Saints to end six-year Premiership back-to-back drought

Tom Pearson believes Northampton Saints are well-placed to become the first Premiership side in six years to defend their title, with the England A back-rower citing squad stability as the foundation for another title challenge.

Saints won two of the last three Premiership finals at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, but retaining the crown would put them in rare company. No club has managed back-to-back titles since Saracens achieved it in 2019, and Pearson, 26, is under no illusions about the difficulty of the task.

“The research shows it’s very hard to win back-to-back PREM titles,” Pearson said. “We’ve got a lot of guys staying on who are another year older and another year more experienced. There’s definitely something in keeping your squad, keeping those connections and partnerships around for long periods. So we’ve got all the ingredients to do it again.”

Pearson acknowledged that life as reigning champions brings its own pressures, with every opponent targeting Saints from the opening round. Rather than viewing that scrutiny as a burden, he sees it as motivation.

“You definitely always have a target on your back from being champions. A lot of clubs will want to get our number and turn us over. That’s the target you want to have on your back. We’ve got to enjoy that and make sure we’re up to the challenge.”

On a personal level, Pearson is determined to build on what he described as a consistent individual campaign last season — something he felt he failed to do after Saints’ previous title win.

“I felt like I was quite consistent with my performances over last season. I’d love to back that up. It is something I felt I didn’t do last time we won the league,” he said.

Pearson also stressed the importance of arriving at pre-season in good shape after the post-final celebrations, noting that the week following the final was spent “letting your hair down” before the focus shifted back to preparation.