Archie McParland extends stay at Northampton Saints
Archie McParland has already made 25 appearances for the Saints since his debut in 2022
©Steve Haag
Northampton Saints scrum-half Archie McParland has committed his future to the club by signing a new contract that will keep him at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens beyond the current season.
At just 19 years old, McParland has already made 25 appearances for the Saints since his debut in 2022, where he became the club’s youngest professional-era player at 17 years and 222 days.
The talented half-back has since continued to make strides, earning international recognition with England Under-20s and England A.
Despite a shoulder injury disrupting his current campaign, Saints’ Director of Rugby Phil Dowson expressed his excitement about McParland’s long-term future with the team.
“We’re delighted to see Archie re-sign,” said Dowson.
“His work ethic is brilliant. He’s someone with a strong skill set and is pushing some of our senior lads for game time. He’s already played a lot of rugby for us this year.
"Archie likes to play at speed, and his skills—passing, kicking, and decision-making—are all improving rapidly. He’s also coming on leaps and bounds in defense.”
Dowson further highlighted McParland’s determination, noting how his commitment to self-improvement has been evident throughout the past two seasons.
“You get better at rugby by playing rugby, and we’ve seen that clearly with Archie.
"His improvements this season have been significant, and that’s because he pushes himself so hard. The ability you see on the weekend reflects the effort he puts in during training,” Dowson added.
McParland originally joined the Saints’ Academy as a fly-half before transitioning to scrum-half at the Under-15 level. He signed his first professional contract ahead of the 2023/24 season, further cementing his place as one of the most promising young players in English rugby.
During Northampton’s Gallagher Premiership title-winning season, McParland made nine appearances, including a league debut against Sale Sharks in the opening round.
However, he missed the title celebrations while representing England Under-20s, who went on to lift the 2024 World Rugby U20 Championship trophy.
