Alex Coles eyes European redemption for Northampton Saints

Northampton Saints lock Alex Coles has expressed excitement and determination ahead of the team's Investec Champions Cup opener against Castres Olympique this afternoon.

The Saints aim to rebound after a disappointing loss to Gloucester last week, which ended their 13-month unbeaten home record.

The Saints struggled in their Gallagher Premiership return following the Autumn Nations Series, with a poor first-half performance leaving them too much ground to recover.

Despite a spirited effort in the second half, disallowed tries and early defensive lapses resulted in a home defeat that stung the squad.

"Losing at home, where we really pride ourselves on performing, is pretty gutting," said Coles.

"The manner in which it happened was even more frustrating. We didn’t put any of ourselves on the field in the first half, and by the second, there was just too much to do."

The defeat has motivated the Saints to use the Champions Cup as a turning point in their season, similar to how they approached the competition last year.

Returning to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, the Saints view today’s European clash as an opportunity to reset and redeem themselves in front of their home crowd.

Coles emphasized the team's readiness to rise to the challenge, stating: "Everyone was hurting from that result, and I think we’re all excited now to have a new challenge in Europe. We have a chance at home to redeem ourselves."