West aims to help Northampton pack improve

Loosehead prop Tom West is relishing nan task of filling 1 of nan gaps near by departed Northampton Saints greats successful nan caller play ahead.

Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Alex Moon and Sama Matavesi each near pursuing past season's Premiership title win, while beforehand rowers Alex and Ethan Waller retired.

Saints commencement nan defence of their title pinch an distant crippled astatine Bath - nan squad they hit successful past season's last - connected 20 September pursuing a last warm-up against Bedford Blues connected Friday.

"I dream to support pushing nan position connected pinch nan 2 different lads, Tarek (Haffar) and Manny (Iyogun) and spot wherever we get to," West told BBC Radio Northampton.

"If we tin make that position arsenic beardown arsenic possible, stock that workload and amended each week, that's going to beryllium nan champion point for nan team."

West, who antecedently played 78 games for Wasps and besides had a spell pinch Leicester Tigers, is simply a student of nan 'art of scrummaging' and is enjoying adding to his skills pinch nan thief of Saints forwards coach Matt Ferguson.

"I've been rather fortunate pinch nan scrum coaches I've had, truthful trying to adhd knowledge from him and accommodate and return small hints present and location is great," nan 28-year-old said.

"I'll effort and look for things, thief boys out, spot what I tin spot and really we tin get amended arsenic a pack."

He feels he has settled successful good during pre-season and said: "Franklin's Gardens is ever a awesome spot to come, it's easy nan champion transportation successful nan convention by a mile, nan ambiance is amazing."

Saints - and West - will beryllium reunited pinch a acquainted look against Bedford, whose forwards coach is now their erstwhile subordinate Tom Cruse.

"I played pinch him for 4 aliases 5 years astatine Wasps and can't hold to person a situation against a battalion that he's put together," West added.