George Furbank Eyes Fairytale Finish with Saints

Captain George Furbank targeted a "fairytale finish" with Northampton Saints as his decade at the club ended on Saturday at the Allianz Stadium in Twickenham. Furbank, a legend at Saints, departed his boyhood team to join Harlequins for the upcoming season after failing to agree on a new contract at Franklin's Gardens.

The 29-year-old full-back led the side in the Prem final against Exeter, expressing that there were no hard feelings despite the "tough conversations" surrounding the contract talks. He shared on the Rugby Union Weekly podcast, "The more honest you are with each other, the less hard feelings there are going to be. When they told me that they weren’t going to be offering what I’d liked, I said I was going to look elsewhere, and ultimately that was that."

Furbank stated he was excited about the opportunity with Harlequins but was determined to finish his time with Northampton on a high. He noted, "It’d be a pretty fairytale ending to my 10 years lifting a trophy, and so once the dust had settled from all the contract stuff, that’s just been a massive driving motivator for me."

Having joined the Saints' academy in 2015 and making his full debut in 2017, Furbank was instrumental in a developing dynasty at the club. With a talented core of young players, Northampton prepared for a third major final in three seasons, aiming to reclaim the Prem title they won in 2024.

Furbank remarked on the camaraderie within the team, stating, "A lot of us will call each other best mates... we spend probably too much time together, to be honest, off the pitch, but that is what’s so special about this group. There’s something about playing with a group of mates that makes you want to go that little bit further and run that little bit more."

He reflected on his memorable time at the Gardens, emphasizing that it never felt like work: "I’ve loved my time here genuinely from minute one to my last game. It’s been a pleasure coming to work, because you come into a place where you are just hanging out with your mates, having a laugh, and doing something you love for a living. It’s been a pretty cool 10 years."

Furbank’s contract discussions had broken down earlier this season, as Saints could not offer him a multi-year deal due to his age and injury profile. However, he rebounded from a challenging injury period to reach peak form in the latter part of the season, notably scoring two tries in their 45-31 playoff victory against Leicester.

"Sport is a pretty ruthless industry, and if a team wants you, they want you, and if they don’t, you’ve got to accept that," Furbank explained, expressing his desire to leave without any negative feelings toward the club he called home for a decade.

In the aftermath of their intense playoff win, Saints head coach Phil Dowson noted the need to play without fear in front of 82,000 fans. Furbank concurred, stating the team was focused on adopting an attacking mindset for the upcoming final against Exeter on Saturday, 20 June.