Phil Dowson’s RWC 2025 Guide to Northampton

Few know the joys of Northampton on a big match day better than Phil Dowson. A legendary back-rower, the Englishman made nearly 200 appearances for Northampton Saints, and since becoming Director of Rugby, he has delivered the club’s first Premiership title in a decade and steered them to last season’s Champions Cup final.

Now, he cannot wait to see his beloved Franklin’s Gardens welcome fans from all over the world for six RWC 2025 pool stage matches, with some tickets still available:

Northampton; sport running through its veins:

As a sporting city, I love the fact that rugby in particular is such a big hit. We have a full stadium, lots of people care. You see the colours around the ground. And if it goes well, or badly, people have an opinion.

But we also enjoy football, seeing the Cobblers (Northampton Town FC) who’ve got a decent history as well.

And the cricket has started particularly well (this season) with Darren Lehman (former Australia men’s team national coach) coaching. Silverstone (a home of motor racing in the UK) is nearby.

It’s a town that loves it sport and knows its sport.

Franklin’s Gardens; one of the great venues to watch rugby:

I think it's rated as one of the best places to come, certainly in the Premiership (England’s professional men’s club league) and hopefully in the World Cup.

It’s easy to get to. Not far from the train station. There's a couple of pubs on the way to the ground that you walk past. But at the ground there's food and drink and an area where there's a band on. It's a good vibe. The people of Northampton know their rugby and love their rugby.

I particularly like evening games. I think my first European game here was against Munster, and I remember it just being absolutely electric. Couldn't get over the noise.

A perfect host for RWC 2025:

It's a great opportunity to grow the sport outside of London.

Loughborough Lightning (the local Allianz Premiership Women’s Rugby team who play lots of home games at Franklin’s Gardens) are really popular and we are looking forward to getting big crowds for all the games, including the England (v Samoa in Pool A on 30 August) game and making sure everyone has a good time. So, they come back and watch rugby at the Gardens, watch the Lightning or the (Northampton) Saints.

Pre-match plans:

From my point of view, get here early. There’re loads of places in town that do great food and coffees, drinks, beers, etc. There's loads of history too. The Sevens pub across the road (from the stadium) used to be a changing room. The Wig & Pen pub in town used to be a changing room for the Saints too.

So, have a few pints in town, a nice bite to eat, and then come and get some more food and drink in the ground and enjoy a great game.

Post-match party plans:

When I'm celebrating, I go home to my two young children!

I think a lot of the lads end up on Bridge Street. Bars stay open at the ground too and the pubs that you visited on the way to the ground, you can visit them on the way back into town.

It’s not a big town. If you have got the Voi app (E-scooters for hire) and you’ve not had many beers you can get back into town in under five minutes and be amongst it and see where you want to go.

Where to watch RWC 2025 matches on TV:

Market Square has had a huge amount of money pumped into it, and there’s a fan zone there, which obviously has all the trappings of the games and the occasion.

Must-visit community rugby clubs:

From my point of view, this is one of the real strong suits of Northampton. It's got an incredibly strong local rugby club scene. My house backs onto the playing fields at ONs, Old Northamptonians, which is a huge club, football, cricket, rugby. It’s really sociable.

There’s also (Northampton) BBOBs, which is near the Saints. Old Scouts. There’s Long Buckby, big rugby and cricket scene. There’s so many. All good places to catch a (RWC 2025) game.

Top tips for first-time visitors:

We’re not far away from Althorp House, which is Earl Spencer’s house (Princess Diana’s brother) and has a huge amount of history and is a very beautiful place to visit.

The Royal & Derngate theatre is exceptional. I've been to see a lot of good stuff there.

And there’s 78 Derngate, which is a museum on Charles Rennie Mackintosh and the only example of his architecture outside of Glasgow.

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