Jim Mallinder sacked by Northampton Saints after 10 years at the Premiership club following run of poor form

Director of rugby leaves Franklin's Gardens after more than a decade in charge

Jim Mallinder has been sacked by Northampton Saints with immediate effect (Getty)

Jim Mallinder has left Northampton Saints as director of rugby with immediate effect, ending his reign at the Premiership club after more than a decade in charge at Franklin's Gardens.

Northampton issued a statement on Tuesday morning in light of Saturday’s 43-32 defeat by Ospreys in the European Champions Cup – a scoreline that flattered Mallinder’s side given that they trailed 43-8 after an hour in front of their home fans – and represented their eighth straight defeat in the Premiership and Europe.

Having batted away questions about his future immediately after the match, Mallinder has since been relieved of his duties, with the club confirming that he is no longer in charge of the Saints ahead of this weekend’s return against the Ospreys at the Liberty Stadium.

“Jim has been an outstanding director of rugby,” said Northampton chairman John White. “We have been very lucky to have him at Franklin’s Gardens and he will always be a part of the Saints family.

“This is not a decision that has been taken lightly, but the board and major shareholders felt that the time was right for some change.”

Mallinder was the longest-serving director of rugby in the Premiership, having won the LV Cup, European Challenge Cup and promotion back to the top flight during his decade in charge. However, it was the Premiership title triumph of 2014, when Saints beat Saracens in the first ever final to go to extra-time, that remains the high point of his CV, and club chief executive Mark Darbon praised Mallinder for the success that he brought to the Midlands.

“Jim has done a superb job as Northampton Saints’ director of rugby over the last decade, and the amount of silverware the club has won during his tenure speaks for itself. We thank Jim for all he has done at Franklin’s Gardens,” Darbon said.

Mallinder's Northampton have lost their last eight matches in the Premiership and Europe (Getty)

With Mallinder no longer at the helm, Saints will look to recruit a new coach to try an reinvigorate the 2017/18 campaign, having already been knocked out of the Europe as well as plummeting to 10th in the Premiership table. While that process of finding Mallinder’s replacement takes place, former Saints scrum-half Alan Dickens will lead the side, having joined Malinder’s coaching staff in 2010.

But it was the Darbon’s use of “world-class director of rugby to replace Jim” that caught the eye, with Saints evidently setting their sights high in the aim of bringing in an established name rather than a young coach who has shown potential. It has fuelled speculation that former Saints head coach Wayne Smith could be lured back to Franklin’s Gardens, 13 years after leaving the job for the All Blacks assistant role that he filled under Sir Graham Henry and later under current head coach Steve Hansen.

Wayne Smith is being linked with a surprise return to Franklin's Gardens (Getty) (Getty Images)

Smith is currently out of work after leaving the New Zealand set-up earlier this year following the British and Irish Lions tour and Rugby Championship, and is yet to express any desire of returning to the game after describing himself as “an old dog” after his final appearance.

“Whilst that search is underway, we will look to bolster our existing coaching group with some additional leadership and experience on a short-term basis for this season,” Darbon added.

“Alan Dickens will oversee rugby and coaching matters on temporary basis as interim head coach.”