Myler to stay a Saint
Northampton Saints announced on Wednesday that Stephen Myler has signed a new contract to stay at Franklin’s Gardens for the foreseeable future.
Myler’s 187 first team appearances is the second highest in the current squad, and the 1,427 points accumulated in his six-and-a-half years at Franklin’s Gardens is the third highest in the club’s history, just 36 behind second-placed Roger Hosen.
His 100 percent kicking records in the 2009 Amlin Challenge Cup and 2010 LV= Cup finals were crucial in helping the Saints lift both trophies, and he steered the club to knockout victories over Ulster and Perpignan on the run to the 2011 Heineken Cup final.
Myler has also had success at national level, too, kicking 18 points in the 2010 Churchill Cup final to underpin England Saxons’ successful campaign.
The 28-year-old has spent his entire rugby union career in black, green and gold, and believes that there are bigger and better things on the horizon at Franklin’s Gardens.
"I’ve obviously been here for a while," he said.
"I love the club, love the supporters and it’s a great group of lads. We’ve achieved a lot together already and I’m genuinely excited about where the team is going. We’ve shown a lot of ambition with the calibre of players that will be joining the club next season and Alex King is someone I’ve also heard only good things about."
Myler also mentioned: "It’s a great honour to have played so many games for the Saints. It’s a great club. When I first came here from league I wasn’t sure how long I’d last in union but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time and that’s all down to being involved with this club, the staff, players and of course supporters.
"They made that transition easy for me and it speaks volumes that I’m still here so many years later.
"We have been gradually building momentum over the past few seasons and obviously winning the Challenge Cup and LV= Cup stand out as highlights of my career," the flyhalf explained.
"The Heineken Cup final was another step forward and it showed just how far the club had come in a short space of time and what we are capable of.
"We’ve fallen short a couple of times, but the fact that we’re now competing those Premiership semi-finals year on year is an indication of how much expectations have risen.
Being a player that has seen the rise of a the club, Myler's intentions to stay loyal to Franklin Gardens is understandable.
"Clubs are always evolving to be the best and I’m delighted to be a part of that. Hopefully it won’t be long before we’re lifting that silverware that we all believe we can challenge for."
Director of rugby Jim Mallinder says that Myler is an important member of the Saints squad.
"Time and again Stephen has shown that he is a very good player and someone who we can build the team around," he said.
"He has an intelligent approach to the game, and a superb work ethic on and off the field. We’re very happy that he has signed a new contract with the Saints," the Director of Rugby added.