Black, Green and Gold journey continues for George Hendy

Northampton Saints today confirm that George Hendy has signed a new deal to remain at the Club beyond the current campaign.

The prolific back has been one of Saints’ standout performers this season. He reached the milestone of 50 appearances in Black, Green and Gold in the opening round of the Gallagher PREM, and has since crossed for eight tries in 15 appearances so far this term.

His excellent form earned him the cinch Player of the Month award for December, as well as a nomination for one of European rugby’s most prestigious individual honours – the 2026 Investec Player of the Year award.

With plenty of rugby still to come this season, Hendy is already looking forward to continuing his journey at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens over the years ahead.

“I love everything about this Club,” said Hendy. “The group we have here is so special. There’s a real belief that we can achieve great things together, and that’s a huge part of why I’m staying.

“Every time I pull on a Saints shirt, I feel myself improving. The coaching team’s growth mindset pushes us to get better every day – and Sam Vesty and Jake Sharp have been massively influential in my development.

“Following the path of players I looked up to as a kid, progressing from the Academy into the senior squad, and doing it alongside some of my best mates has been incredibly special. There’s a big group of lads I grew up with – people like Tom Lockett, Craig Wright, Toby Thame and Tom Litchfield – and breaking through with them has been amazing.

“But now there’s a real desire for us to take the reins and grow into leadership roles. Becoming a core member of this Saints squad, and being a role model for younger players coming through the same pathway, is something I’m really striving for.

“Playing for your country is every player’s ambition, and I truly believe Saints is the best place for me to push towards England honours. Being around so many guys thriving in that environment drives me forwards.

“Above everything, I want to make more memories with this group. Reaching the European final last year was huge, but we want to go further. We want to repeat what we did in the PREM two seasons ago, and I’m determined to be part of that journey.”

Hendy’s path into professional rugby was far from conventional. After being released from Worcester Warriors’ Academy, he was picked up by Northampton, where he initially featured predominantly as a centre. But after catching the eye at fullback for Saints’ Under-18s side, he earned his first full-time contract in the summer of 2021 – and has not looked back since.

The former KES Stratford student, who played junior rugby for Shipston-on-Stour RFC alongside future Saints teammate Fin Smith, made a try-scoring debut against London Irish in the PREM Rugby Cup in November 2021. After his first three senior appearances, he had already touched down four times – adding scores against Harlequins and a memorable brace away at Saracens.

A Gallagher PREM debut followed against Bristol Bears in April 2022, before Hendy made his first league start against the same opposition later that year in October. The explosive back also built his experience with a successful loan stint with Saints’ partner club, Bedford Blues.

His breakthrough arrived during the 2023/24 campaign, in which he played more rugby than ever before. Across 25 appearances, Hendy delivered consistently outstanding performances – culminating in a Player-of-the-Match display in the Gallagher PREM Final, helping end Saints’ ten-year wait for league silverware by making the break that set-up Alex Mitchell’s match-winning try.

Hendy has also progressed through the international ranks, representing England Under-20s in the 2022 Six Nations and Summer Series. In February 2025, he featured for England A against Ireland A at Ashton Gate, coming off the bench before earning his first start for the side later that year against Spain.

“George has always had exceptional physical ability and the capacity to open up games,” said Saints’ Director of Rugby, Phil Dowson. “The experience he gained on loan at Bedford Blues was absolutely integral to the level he’s now playing at with Saints in the PREM.

“That period was huge for him – both in terms of the work ethic demanded of him in the backfield, and the freedom Mike Rayer gave him to play what he saw. It clearly meant a lot, because he still goes down to Goldington Road to support the lads whenever he can.

“George has tremendous athleticism and an ability to beat defenders, something we’ve seen in abundance this past year while he’s been playing predominantly on the wing. He’s still young and has so much more growth ahead of him.

“He’ll only continue to improve. He’s ambitious, he wants to push for international selection, and I’ve no doubt he’ll keep driving forward.

“He’s very strong across all three backfield positions, and we’ve also got the option of using him in the centres. The more exposure he gets there, the better he’ll become. We’ve seen with Tommy Freeman the value of players who can excel at wing, fullback and centre. One of the joys of Sam Vesty’s coaching is how those roles can be interchangeable.

“George gets plenty of touches at fullback and can spark counter-attacks from there, so that versatility makes him an incredibly valuable player for Saints moving forward, and we’re delighted to be keeping him within our group.”