Training level so key for development of Saints' young stars

McParland, who doesn't turn 21 until later this month, is able to learn from British & Irish Lions star Alex Mitchell at scrum-half and he has come on in leaps and bounds since emerging from the club's Academy.

He produced another impressive performance on Saturday, scoring twice in a 40-22 PREM Rugby Cup win against Leicester Tigers at a sold-out cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens.

And McParland said: "The main thing is just competing with those (international) players every day in training and it's massive for individual development.

"It’s great to pick parts of their game out and watch what they do and implement it in your game.

"There's loads of good players in this team and this squad has really based itself on being a tight group and being able to speak and give pointers to people and really improve the individuals.

"It's constantly competitive, just having so many good players around you.

"It's always competitive and we look at ourselves and we want to be the hardest training team in the league.

"We know our performance at the weekend is based on how hard we train in the week.

"It's intense, it's competitive and we know it will get us a good result at the weekend."

Reflecting on the superb win against Tigers, in which so many young Saints players shone, McParland said: "It was unreal.

"No matter what tournament it's in, an East Midlands derby is always a massive game, and to have a packed stadium has been a massive moment for individuals making their debuts and individuals coming to prove a point. I'm just really happy for those people."

McParland lined up alongside 18-year-old James Pater, who pulled the strings at fly-half.

"The main thing as a young lad is coming in with confidence - and Pates shows that," McParland said.

"He backs himself and that's the massive hurdle you've got to get over when you're young: to play like you did when you were at school and when you were in the Academy.

"Massive kudos to him for playing so well."

McParland feels the way he and his fellow Saints scrum-halves have been coached has added an extra dimension to their game.

He said: "If you look over the years, scrum-half has really changed.

"If you look at the French teams and what we're trying to do, it's really pick up the ball, engage first defenders and have people run off you.

"That really adds a different aspect to the game and it's a lot harder for defenders to defend a running nine rather than a long pass out to the fly-half.

"We're massively encouraged to do that by (Sam) Vesty and it's something I've been working on."