Former Super League coach wins Premiership rugby union title with Northampton Saints

Wigan Warriors were the big winners on Saturday afternoon at Wembley – but it wasn’t the only triumph for people associated with rugby league in the capital.

Northampton Saints were crowned rugby union’s Premiership champions courtesy of victory over Bath at Twickenham – and their coaching staff involved a very familiar face: former Hull FC and Castleford coach Lee Radford.

Radford has been on the coaching staff of the Saints since crossing codes and joining the club last summer. Tasked with organising and coaching their defence, it’s clear that Radford has had a huge impact – with the club going all the way and winning the final in his first season on the coaching staff.

The 45-year-old made the decision to cross codes after leaving Castleford Tigers at the beginning of last season. It is his second foray into coaching in union – having had a brief spell coaching in the United States in 2020, with the Dallas Jackals.

Radford then returned to take up a position at Castleford at the beginning of 2022, guiding them to a seventh-placed finish in his first season in charge before parting ways with the club in the early weeks of last season.

He does, of course, have great success as a coach in league during his time with Hull FC – guiding them to historic back-to-back Challenge Cup wins in 2016 and 2017.

And Radford has continued his success in the 15-man code now, having been part of the Northampton side who created history at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.

It is their first Premiership title for a decade, with the Saints last winning the title all the way back in 2014.

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