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Courtney Lawes, the esteemed Northampton Saints veteran, is set to bid an emotional farewell to Franklin’s Gardens this Friday. After a remarkable 17-year stint with the club, Lawes will be heading to French side Brive this summer, but not before he has the chance to cap off his Saints career in style.
Lawes, who has amassed over 280 appearances for the club and earned 105 England caps, has been a true stalwart of the Northampton squad. His final home game will be a Gallagher Premiership play-off clash against reigning champions Saracens, a fitting send-off for the all-action flanker.
“It is mad that it has come round this quickly, but I think I can reflect on it post-game and when the job is done,” said Lawes, who will captain the Saints in the crucial showdown. “I want to go out there and enjoy it, go out there and do what I have always done, which is to run my blood to water and give it everything I have.”
Lawes, who grew up just a stone’s throw from Franklin’s Gardens, understands the significance of representing the club he has been part of since a young age.
“Essentially, I am representing the people that I grew up with, the places I grew up in, and I don’t take that lightly,” he added.
The 35-year-old believes he will leave behind an English rugby union landscape in ripe health, with the Premiership enjoying a highly competitive season and the national team set to embark on a challenging tour of New Zealand.
“This year has been so good for the sport of rugby – the Premiership especially, with it being so tight from one to eight. Anybody could have been in the top four,” Lawes said. “We have taken a really big step in the right direction, and hopefully that continues in the summer with the England team and they can go out there (New Zealand) and perform really well.”
As Lawes prepares to don the Northampton jersey one final time at Franklin’s Gardens, he will undoubtedly be looking to leave an indelible mark on the club and the sport he has dedicated so much of his career to. It promises to be an emotional farewell for a true legend of BBC rugby union.
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