'Proud' Doncaster Knights captain Sam Graham to join Premiership side Northampton Saints

The 24-year-old back row has been a model of consistency since joining Doncaster from Bristol Bears in 2020, helping the club return to the upper echelons of the Championship under head coach Steve Boden.

Graham scooped both the Coaches Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year gongs at Knights’ recent awards evening.

He will join Northampton at the end of the season, following the conclusion of Knights’ Championship Cup campaign.

“Bodes sold me on Doncaster by saying he wanted me to come here to play rugby putting my best foot forward in a Doncaster shirt, to put me in a position to move on to a Premiership club to chase my ambitions,” Graham told Knights’ official website.

“We were going to work hard and have a lot of fun whilst doing it. Truer words couldn’t have been said. I have loved my time at Doncaster Knights because I have never been in a team as tight as this one and I have made some incredible mates.

“It’s something that we have built together through the tough games and the best games, some of which will live forever in my memory.

“Thank you to the fans for making Castle Park such a special place to play rugby. I hope we as a team have brought you some excitement after the year out due to Covid. I am so unbelievably proud of what we have built here and I know it’s in a great place going forward.

“It’s been an honour to captain the side this season and I’m very thankful to Steve Boden, Steve Lloyd and Tony de Mulder and the coaching staff for believing in me and giving me the opportunity.

“I’m excited to start my next chapter with Northampton Saints in the hope of putting my best foot forward with all the experience I have gained from playing here.”

Head coach Steve Boden gets new deal and job title at Doncaster Knights