Northampton Saints: Fin Smith wins annual Blakiston Challenge

Winner Fin Smith joined Northampton Saints last year and was taking part in the challenge for the first time

The winner of a professional Rugby Union club's annual test of strength and endurance said it was "the most difficult thing I've done in my life."

Fly-half Fin Smith won Northampton Saints' annual Blakiston Challenge, which sees the club's players and staff complete two runs and carry sandbags.

The event, held at Castle Ashby since 2018, pays homage to former Saints player Sir Arthur 'Freddie' Blakiston.

He was awarded a Military Cross for life-saving heroics in World War One.

Smith, 21, joined Saints last year and was taking part in the challenge for the first time.

Participants carry 30kg (66lb) and 50kg (110lb) sandbags as part of the annual endurance test

He was the first finisher of the pre-season fitness test which sees participants complete two 2.5km (1.55 mile) runs either side of a further 2km (1.34 mile) of 30kg (66lb) and 50kg (110lb) sandbag carries.

"I'm quite a slight build, not the heaviest, so I thought I would do okay at the running," he told BBC Radio Northampton.

"I thought the bags would've finished me off, but I surprised myself with how deep a place I managed to take my brain to keep pushing on.

"It was nice to win it."

Smith, who finished in 33 minutes and 56 seconds, joined an exclusive club of winners such as Dan Biggar, Reuben Bird-Tulloch, Piers Francis and two-time victor Alex Coles.

Blakiston played for Northampton Saints, England and the British and Irish Lions during his playing career

Blakiston played for Saints between 1919 and 1926 and earned 21 England caps in a career which also saw him join a British and Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 1924.

Before joining Northampton, he served as a lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery.

In September 1918, an ammunition column under his command came under fire in Belgium. Despite being under constant shelling, Blakiston rescued wounded men, managed to deliver ammunition to the front line, and was subsequently awarded the Military Cross.

He also played for Blackheath, Liverpool, East Midlands, Lancashire and the Barbarians during his playing career.