Northampton Saints name George Furbank as captain for 2024/25 season

Northampton Saints have announced that England international George Furbank will be leading the club for the 2024/25 season.

A product of Northampton’s development pathway, Furbank made his Northampton Saints debut in the Anglo Welsh Cup in November 2017 against the Exeter Chiefs and became a first-team regular the following season as the club went on to win the Premiership Rugby Cup.

He captained the club in the 2023/24 season as they lifted the Premiership title.

Furbank made his England debut against France in the 2020 Six Nations and has overall 11 Test caps to his name.

“It’s pretty surreal to be honest,” said Furbank to the club's official website.

“It’s not something I ever thought I’d get the opportunity to do.

“There were a few boys in contention to be captain this season, but when Dows [Phil Dowson] told me I was buzzing, and so excited to tell my family as I knew how proud they were going to be.”

During the previous season, Furbank featured for the club in 22 games while also captaining them to 12 wins in as many games guiding them to a Premiership title.

“I obviously had a bit of a taste of it last year, when Luds [Lewis Ludlam] was injured, and that gave me a sense of what it’s going to be like," he added.

“Last season I had Courtney [Lawes], Luds and Sue [Alex Waller] – who was Club Captain when I first broke into the first team – to lean on. They were all incredible leaders in their own way, and I learned a lot from them.

“But I’m lucky that I can depend on plenty of guys in this squad too; the likes of Fin Smith, Alex Coles, Fraser Dingwall, Sam Graham and so on – we’ve got a lot of leaders now in this group. We’re all a similar age and have similar experience, so I’ll lean on them as well when I need to.

“But to be named Club Captain is a massive privilege and an honour. I’m excited for the new season and ready to crack on again.”