Browse Sections

• Stockport County FC
• Sale Sharks
• Local football
• Local cricket

Ben has his say in position debate

30/ 4/2008

IN RECENT weeks Ben Foden has been at the centre of a debate about his future. Several rugby union legends have had their say on whether Foden should pursue his international, and club, ambitions at full-back or scrum-half.

Now, for the first time, Foden himself has spoken out, exclusively to the Express, about moving to Northampton Saints next season and what he makes of all the fuss ...

What were your thoughts when fans chanted ‘We want Foden’ during Sharks convincing victory against Newcastle recently?

"As a professional player it is always nice to hear your name chanted in the crowd.

"It doesn’t happen very often and [against Newcastle] it was my day.

"It was a very open game, I got a lot of ball and managed to do a lot of running and give the crowd what they wanted.

"The team played very well, we scored a lot of tries and that is the kind of rugby people come to see."

Are you surprised by the reaction that signing for Northampton has prompted from both camps?

"It is quite novel to have two teams fighting over you. I signed the contract with Northampton a while ago now.

"I’ve hit a bit of form at full-back for Sale.

"Sale, at the time of the contract [negotiations], showed that they wanted to keep me as a player but I had an interest in playing in other positions. I’ve got to keep to the contract and stick by my decision and hopefully it will be the right one."

Any regrets about leaving Sharks?

"There is always a bit of doubt in anyone’s mind but as a professional player I need to go to Northampton with a clear head and make sure I’m focused on what I’m going to go and do there.

"There’s the rest of the season to go here [at Sharks]. We’ve got the potential to be in the top four and, hopefully, winning the Premiership again if things go our way.

"Right now I’ve just got to keep my head with Sale, because that is where my head and my heart are at the moment. I’ll keep playing as well as I can at 15 and hopefully take some silverware with me when I leave."

Foden signed a full contract with Saints in February.

He will only be released from that deal if former Sale coach Jim Mallinder, who coached Foden at England under-21s level, leaves Northampton to join the new elite England set-up.