Fallen Northampton Saints will be seeking redemption

Lee Dickson has vowed to scrap his way back into England contention after revealing his deep disappointment at being omitted from the World Cup squad.
The Northampton scrum-half concedes hard words were exchanged with Stuart Lancaster when the head coach informed him that Ben Youngs, Danny Care and Richard Wigglesworth were being selected for the tournament instead.
Dickson told The Rugby Paper: “It was very difficult to take. I'm a passionate player and person and it was a hard chat with Stuart.
“I'm not a ‘Thank you very much, walk out of the door' type of player and while there's not much you can say in a meeting that's going to change someone's mind, you've got to show your disappointment because a dream has been taken away.
“I put my point across and you can't just roll over and go, ‘No worries', you're a person that wants to win and wants to play in a World Cup. You're not there to make the numbers up, because if you were you shouldn't be there to start with.
“I made my point, Stuart listened and then I shook his hand and walked out – after I had told him I'd be back!”
Dickson is among a lengthy list of Saints to suffer World Cup heartbreak, with Dylan Hartley, Alex Corbisiero, Stephen Myler, Calum Clark, Ben Foden and, most controversially of all, Luther Burrell also missing out.
“It's tough on Luther because his omission was the biggest surprise,” said Dickson, who warns of a Northampton backlash.
“I'll back Luther against anybody and you've seen over the last two years how well he's played for both us and England.
“I'm very disappointed for him, but with Ben, Dylan, Corbs, Calum, Stephen and myself omitted, you're going to see seven very motivated individuals this season.
“We'll go into the campaign with not only a point to prove to England, but a point to prove to Saints to ensure that come Six Nations time we are right up at the top of the league and in contention to go on and win something big.”
Dickson's feistiness is one of the reasons why boss Jim Mallinder handed him the Saints captaincy – a role he assumes from hooker Hartley, whom Dickson is backing to bounce back from his own England woe.
“Dylan's come under a lot of pressure and it's just not fair,” he said.
“Everyone always sees the bad in him but he is a top bloke on and off the pitch and he'll still be a leader with us.
“He's a brilliant player, we want him out there doing what he does best and he'll bounce back.
“He learns, he understands and gets on with the job, which is why he's a great character. I'm sure he'll be back in an England shirt.”
Despite being made captain, Dickson, 30, fully expects to continue sharing the No.9 jersey with Samoan star Kahn Fotulali'i, adding:  “Kahn's arrival two years ago spurred me on and he's world-class. I've learned so much from him and the beauty is we can rotate, playing two games on, two games off.
“It's great for the club to have two international 9s and Tom Kessell's arrival from Pirates provides an extra competitive edge.”
NEALE HARVEY