Dickson learning plenty from Saints fly-half Myler

PUTTING THE BOOT IN - Glenn Dickson was in fine form at the Madejski Stadium (Picture: Linda Dawson)

Dickson, a summer recruit from Otago, was one of the stars of the show for Northampton as they shot down London Irish in the LV= Cup on Sunday.

The Kiwi kicker racked up an impressive 24 points, missing just one of his 10 kicks from the tee as he steered Saints to a 39-18 success.

He started the game at the Madejski Stadium and the win against Gloucester eight days earlier as first-choice No.10 Myler was given a well-earned rest.

And Dickson admits he’s already taken plenty of tips from the former rugby league player as he bids to put pressure on Myler for a Premiership and Heineken Cup starting spot.

“Stevie’s very authoritative,” said the 27-year-old. “He knows the game well, he knows the team well and he makes the right calls at the right time. That’s something I’m learning off him a lot.

“He probably hasn’t seen me play enough to learn anything from my game but it’s great to be involved with him.”

Dickson has relished the chance to strut his stuff for the first team during the past two weeks.

He had been consigned to Wanderers duty as he recovered form and fitness following groin and knee injuries that deprived him of any pre-season action.

And he admits the LV= Cup was more demanding than the ‘A’ League action he has got used to.

“It’s definitely a step up” said Dickson. “I wouldn’t say it’s a huge step up, but it’s definitely a step up.

“We’re pretty grateful that we had guys playing against Irish who wouldn’t be playing in the Wanderers games and who have got the experience, guys like Calum Clark and Christian Day. It worked for us.”

Dickson, along with Clark and Day, was one of the more senior players in Saints’ squad for Sunday’s game.

But he was hugely impressed with the phalanx of Academy players who he was steering around the pitch.

“In a playmaking position you’ve always got to stamp your mark on the game and be authorititive but they’re all good footballers and they all know what they’ve got to do,” he said.

“Your job sort of becomes secondary and for me it was just about helping them out really.”