Working with Pienaar 'huge' for Scola as prop signs new Saints deal

The England Under-20s loosehead prop put pen to paper on a new deal on Wednesday having made rapid progress since joining the Saints Academy at the age of 14.

Scola broke into senior rugby just a season after joining the black, green and gold on a full-time basis.

He made his senior debut in November, starting in the PREM Rugby Cup against Harlequins, and since then he has made six further appearances in a Saints shirt, including his Gallagher PREM debut, which was an explosive outing at Bath that saw Northampton come away with a memorable victory in December.

“Continuing my journey here in Northampton was a no‑brainer for me,” Scola said. “I was born in the town and I’ve grown up here.

“Last season I spent a lot of time out on loan and that was really important for my development, particularly in terms of scrummaging at senior level. Experiencing the intensity and physicality of the Champ has helped me grow massively as a prop.

“That also made getting opportunities back here with Saints even more rewarding, first in the PREM Rugby Cup and then in the PREM.

"It’s a big step up, learning the different calls and adapting to the speed of the game at this level, but I’ve loved every minute of it so far.

“Making my debut this season was really special, and that game away at Bath is probably the best I’ve played so far.

"Getting consistent minutes under my belt has brought my game on a lot, and I know there’s still plenty more improvement to come.

“Working alongside Jaco (Pienaar) has been huge for me. He’s shown real trust in me, both in training and on matchdays, and that belief has given me confidence that I can compete in the scrum at PREM level, even at a young age.

“My focus now is on pushing for regular first-team rugby here at Saints.

"I know this club and these coaches reward hard work, and I want to keep improving and see how far I can go with Saints.”