>> Picamoles can make Saints great again
LONG-SERVING flyhalf Stephen Myler reckons the instant impact of French No.8 Louis Picamoles has put Northampton in shape for doubletrophy success.
Myler, who is fastapproaching the 300-match mark for the Franklin’s Gardens outfit since crossing codes from Widnes Vikings in 2006, is impressed with how quickly 54-cap Picamoles has adapted to the Premiership since his big summer move from Toulouse. Myler told The Rugby
Paper: “Louis has settled in really well. We weren’t sure about what his English would be like but he’s actually been very good and he’s a bright lad and player.
“He’s picked up what we’re trying to do really easily and to have someone of that calibre at the club now, along with the other signings we’ve made, is huge for us.
“It was disappointing last season to finish outside the top four for the first time since 2010, but what we’ve learned is that the margins are so small. We lost two matches by a point, which if we’d won would have put us right up there – it’s that tight. “The key thing now is consistency and Louis’ impact will help there, so I’m really excited about the season to come and feel we can match anybody in the Premiership or Champions Cup. “We’re looking to get our teeth stuck into both competitions.” Meanwhile, Myler played his 289th match for Saints against Wasps yesterday and is the club’s highest current appearance maker ahead of Lee Dickson and Dylan Hartley, who before this weekend had played 233 and 219 games respectively.
Ahead of yesterday’s clash, the Widnes-born playmaker stood just five points behind England legend Jonny Wilkinson in the all-time Premiership scoring charts, confounding the notion that Rugby League converts cannot thrive in key positions.
Modest Myler said: “I never imagined I’d be here ten years on, particularly having changed codes after playing all my earlier rugby in Rugby League with St Helens, Salford and Widnes, so I’m very proud to still be associated with this club.
“When making the decision to cross I knew it was a risk playing a game I’d never played before, but I was committed to it and gave everything I had to make it work.
“In my first three seasons at the club we had Carlos Spencer and Barry Everitt here – vastly experienced players to be around – and Paul Grayson was on the coaching staff having played in my position at a high level for Saints and England.
“Paul was a massive help in getting me to understand the nuances of the game over those first few years and I was very grateful for that. My dad (John), uncle (Tony) and great uncle (Frank) all played League but my move to Union was never something they frowned upon.
“In fact, my dad supported it and thought I could make a success of it, so with a lot of hard work he was right and now he enjoys both codes.”
At 32, Myler has two more years left on hisSaints contract, during which time he should comfortably move into third place in the all-time Premiership scoring charts and may even put pressure on Andy Goode in second.
However, he adds: “It’s nice to reach milestones, but I don’t focus on records. If you’re doing your job properly these things will happen.
“But as long as Jim Mallinder’s happy and the team is functioning well, that’s my sole aim.”