Foden happy to see Saints team-mate Wilson back to full fitness

Ben Foden is delighted to see James Wilson back in the starting frame for Saints.
Ben Foden is happy that James Wilson (left) is back in the mix (picture: Sharon Lucey)Ben Foden is happy that James Wilson (left) is back in the mix (picture: Sharon Lucey)
Ben Foden is happy that James Wilson (left) is back in the mix (picture: Sharon Lucey)

And he is now looking forward to the return of some of the club’s other stars as they look to kick on in the New Year.

Wilson returned from an arm injury on Monday night, making his first appearance of the season in the Wanderers’ 38-13 win at Leicester.

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And the Kiwi utility back will now set his sights on a first-team comeback as Saints enjoy added competition in their back line.

“Jimmy’s a great player,” said Foden.

“Whether he plays wing, full-back, 13 - he’s one of those guys you just want in the squad.

“It’s the same with a lot of guys. Tom Wood is struggling with a bit of a niggle at the moment, Courtney (Lawes) has come back in the fold, Dylan (Hartley) is just getting over an injury.

“Names like that, players like that, who have a big influence on the club and the team, bring everyone together and they will give us that boost and a spring in our step.

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“There’s fine margins now in winning big games so we need those guys back on the field.”

But Foden, who has started every game at full-back for Saints this season, is desperate to hang on to the 15 shirt.

And the 30-year-old insists that he doesn’t want to be rested.

“When I was a younger man, Jim (Mallinder) used to ask me whether I wanted a rest and I was like ‘I don’t train all week long to rest at the weekends, because it’s what’s fun for me,” Foden explained.

“I like playing the game of rugby.

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“Training and the gym and things like that are the thing I don’t really want to do - I just want to play at the weekend.

“I don’t want to train and not play at the weekend, I just want to get out there and play.

“As soon as I come to the point where I don’t want to go out there on a Saturday and playing in front of the fans here, I’ll call quits on my career because I always want to play.”

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