Lee Dickson: Northampton Saints 'get back to drawing board'

Lee Dickson scored Northampton Saints' fifth try against London Irish

Northampton captain Lee Dickson says Saints' change in attitude has proved the catalyst for a turnaround in form.

After a poor start to the Premiership, wins over Harlequins and London Irish have taken them two points off fourth.

"We've had a chat about what we want to be as a team," said scrum-half Dickson.

"The last two weeks we've gone out and played a bit more rather than winning a game by kicking, going out with a remit of trying to run, back our fitness and get the balls into the winger's hands."

Before their successive victories, Saints were comfortably beaten by Wasps at Franklin's Gardens after a first-half performance director of rugby Jim Mallinder labelled as "unacceptable".

But a dramatic late victory over Quins at the Twickenham Stoop last week was backed up by brushing aside bottom club Irish 35-7 at home on Saturday.

"That Wasps game was an awful game," Dickson, 30, told BBC Radio Northampton. "On that Monday morning when we came in we needed a change of attitude.

"I think we made sure everyone bought into the style we wanted to play. We've got some great rugby players across the park and we just weren't using them.

"We made sure we wanted to get the ball into the winger's hands and kick from there, rather than always kicking from nine and 10."