'We're building something special', says Dowson after Kemeny decides to stay

Australian flanker Kemeny follows in the footsteps of Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell, Fraser Dingwall and Alex Coles who have already agreed contract extensions this season.

Saints still have plenty more work to do to keep their current impressive squad together, but Kemeny's decision to remain in Northampton for the foreseeable future is another sizeable boost.

And boss Dowson said: “Josh is a fantastic athlete, conscientious and incredibly professional, who really wants to push himself to get to the very top level.

“In terms of the set piece, he’s a brilliant lineout operator and very explosive in getting up into the air.

"Then, all over the park, he’s extremely physical, making big collisions with exceptional tackle technique and athleticism, while with ball-in-hand he has a point of difference too as everyone saw with that try against Sale Sharks.

“Josh is such a good man off the field as well. He has leadership potential, the ability to look after the squad, and his understanding of how the group is feeling at any given time is very powerful for us too.

“The draw for him to go home was huge, with his family over there, but he wants to push on here in Northampton to compete for silverware for Saints and also challenge for international recognition with Australia as well.

“We’re building something special by keeping this group of outstanding players together, so we’re thrilled that Josh is the latest to commit to Saints for the long-term.”