Things still rosy in Gardens

Injury is rarely opportune, an assertion with which David Quinlan would empathise. At the moment he is nursing a medial knee ligament problem that will keep him sidelined for another three weeks. It's a minor setback but a frustrating one, nevertheless, for the 27-year-old Irishman who has made a significant impact in his first season at Northampton.

Over the next few days he's due to sit down with former England outhalf and Northampton backs' coach Paul Grayson and thrash out contractual issues.

Quinlan signed a two-year deal with an option on both sides to terminate the arrangement after 12 months. The former Leinster centre wants to continue at Franklin's Gardens having arrived from Leinster last summer.

The feedback has been positive. Quinlan has been the starting inside centre in one of the better backlines in the Guinness Premiership. He's matured as a player and feels that his game is developing courtesy of some intensive skills coaching under the tutelage of one Carlos Spencer. "I definitely made the right decision (to leave Leinster), for me. The set-up at Northampton is outstanding. The facilities are probably the best in the country and the training is hugely enjoyable. I have improved as a player, primarily in handling and decision-making, areas that were neglected while I was in Leinster.

"It's a different type of training with a huge emphasis on skills work. I may have been slightly pigeon-holed at Leinster or allowed myself to be. Here I am asked to make passes whereas in Leinster it was often a case of asking someone else to throw those passes."

Working alongside the former All Black Spencer has been a real delight. "He keeps you on your toes because you are never entirely sure what's coming next either offensively or defensively. He's a fantastic player and I still find it exciting to play outside him. He is the best person at manipulating defenders to do what he wants them to do and I have played alongside some of the best in Brian (O'Driscoll) and Gordon (D'Arcy). There's such a contrast between his on-field and off-field personas. When he steps over the white line his chest puffs out and he commands the arena whereas off the pitch he's quite shy and reserved."

Having won two caps in Japan during the summer, Quinlan has featured in the extended squads for Ireland's November Test series. He sends videos back to the national coach Eddie O'Sullivan, via Mervyn Murphy. He knows that he's still a work in progress, something that sits easily. "I want to be the best player I can. If that means I get to play for Ireland again then it would be fantastic. I can only control what I do and that's my focus. It'll be up to others to make a judgement on whether that's good enough."

Northampton seem to think so.