Aviva Premiership

Northampton Saints have parted company with performance director Nick Johnston by "mutual consent and with immediate effect".

Johnston has been at the club since 2008 and helped lead the Saints to six finals in that time. Saints CEO Allan Robson paid tribute to Johnston, saying: "Nick has been an important person behind the scenes over the past few years and I'm sorry to see him leave us. He has worked extremely hard to get our performance department into a place where it is the envy of the other Aviva Premiership clubs and at the cutting edge."

Director of rugby Jim Mallinder added: "We're in a much stronger position than we were five years ago, and a lot of that is down to Nick, who has put in place procedures and practices that will stand us in good stead for the future, both with the first team and with the younger players in the academy system. I've enjoyed working with Nick at the Saints, and on behalf of the playing department I wish him all the best for the future, and hope that he won't be a stranger at Franklin's Gardens."