Lawes keen to explore options
COURTNEY Lawes would be tempted to finish his career abroad if the money isn’t right at Northampton when his contract runs out next year.
The 33-year-old England forward has made more than 250 appearances for the club but admits it would be a ‘cool experience’ to test himself in another league.
“I’m up for contract after the World Cup so we’ll see what happens,” he said. “It would be a really cool experience but, I’ve been at Saints so long, it would also be really cool just to be a one-club man. I suppose it’s a win-win for me, regardless.”
Lawes added: “There’s been a couple of occasions that I’ve nearly left the Saints because of money.
“The fact is that our careers are very limited and you have to make hay when the sun shines.
“There’s been a couple of occasions when I was pretty much going to leave and then Saints have been able to find the money. I’ve always wanted to stay, but if it’s not right financially you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.”
Last week’s win against Harlequins has put Saints in the box seat for the playoffs with two matches to play.
Lawes played in that game, having declared himself available for selection, just 13 days after suffering a compound dislocation of his thumb in a European Challenge Cup defeat by Gloucester.
“I went into the game with the expectation that I was going to be in some discomfort, but I knew that and you just get on with it,” he said.
“The thing I wear to keep my thumb in place is not going to let it get damaged any further. I knew pretty early on that if we got the right splint on it and if I could catch and pass, I wasn’t going to be too bothered about how much it hurt.”