At Northampton, they don’t regard Curtis Langdon because the shy, retiring kind.
When he was having his image taken by Mail Sport, scrum coach Matt Ferguson quipped: ‘I hope you’ve received a large lens to suit his head within the shot.’
Phil Dowson, the Saints’ director of rugby, described his hooker as ‘mad as a field of frogs’. So, what does the butt of the banter provide in his personal defence?
‘I’d say I’m one of many louder characters on the membership, so I feel that’s why he has used that phrase,’ stated Langdon. ‘I don’t thoughts a joke — to deliver a little bit of power off the coaching pitch. I deliver quite a lot of noise after we are on the coaching pitch as nicely.’
The 26-year-old from Somerset has been one of many signings of the season — serving to Northampton soar to the highest of the Premiership desk after arriving final summer season following a brief, sudden stint in France at Montpellier. Langdon has proved to be a dedicated and passionate recruit.
Madcap Curtis Langdon (above) is joyful to be the butt of the banter at Northampton
Langdon has a troublesome streak after being raised in Weston-super-Mare the place he developed an curiosity in fight sports activities
‘I do get fairly fired up in coaching, particularly when there’s a large recreation on the weekend,’ he stated. ‘It’s a contact sport and I take pleasure in that aspect of it. Generally it boils over, however I’m getting higher at controlling that, to ensure we get one of the best out of coaching, with out taking it too far.’
There’s a robust streak in Langdon, which comes from his up-bringing in Weston-super-Mare, the place he developed an curiosity in fight sports activities. ‘I performed a little bit of soccer and with my dad, I did boxing, karate and kickboxing,’ he stated. ‘I did quite a lot of that after I was youthful. I used to be fairly an aggressive child.
‘My dad was within the Marines and performed a little bit of rugby. When he got here out, he coached me till I used to be about 15. I’d say he was fairly onerous on me, nevertheless it all got here from a great place and if he hadn’t put as a lot time into me as he did, I wouldn’t be the place I’m now, so I owe him quite a bit. He travels in every single place to look at me play now. He not often misses a recreation.’
Langdon admits that he grew to become an oval-ball obsessive as a teen. All he wished was to change into knowledgeable rugby participant. ‘I didn’t have a Plan B,’ he admitted. Any contingencies simply concerned a distinct route into his most popular profession.
He appeared as much as an important Springbok who illuminated the Premiership and Champions Cup with Saracens. ‘I’ve at all times been a hooker and Schalk Brits was my idol rising up,’ stated Langdon. ‘I used to get excited with the way in which he ran with the ball.
‘His offloading recreation was actually good however he had that edge about him as nicely. He introduced a great little bit of physicality to the sport — with a smile on his face.’
There are many smiles from Langdon too, not least when he adopted up this interview by accepting a problem to see what number of keepy-ups he might handle with a rugby ball. His finest rating from three makes an attempt was 13.
Langdon’s jovial, upbeat nature has been examined by greater than his fair proportion of profession upheaval. ‘Once I was 15, I moved as much as London Irish,’ he stated. ‘I used to be within the academy for 2 years, one 12 months contracted, then received launched.
The hooker claimed that there was by no means a ‘Plan B’ rising up – it was all about changing into a rugby participant
The 26-year-old ahead from Somerset has been one of many signings of the season
‘It occurred fairly late, so I did a pre-season with Newcastle, then I signed for Darlington Mowden Park in Nationwide One. Then Steve Diamond rang me up and provided me a four-year deal at Sale. So, I performed there and form of broke via. A few years in the past, I made a decision to go to Worcester and that lasted for 3 months (earlier than the membership went bust). Then I had that have out in France, at Montpellier. Then I arrived right here at Northampton.’
He lists the twists and turns in a matter-of-fact manner. However requested if the setbacks gave him a inventory of non-public resilience, Langdon stated: ‘I feel so. In sport, you’re at all times experiencing ups and downs.
‘Once I signed for Worcester, I had an concept of how I noticed the subsequent few years going, however three months in, every part modified. It got here as a shock. However every part tends to occur for a purpose, and I used to be fairly lucky with the chance I received. I simply tried my finest to profit from it.’
Alongside the way in which, he had numerous mortgage spells at golf equipment within the second and third tiers of English rugby, as he strove to show his price. He cherishes the unorthodox recollections down the pyramid.
‘One of many mad experiences was going to Wharfedale,’ he stated. ‘They’ve received a brick wall proper behind the dead-ball space — or they did after I performed there. There’s a ladder that goes over the brick wall as a result of each time a conversion is kicked, somebody has to go over the brick wall to get the ball.’
On Saturday afternoon at Franklin’s Gardens, Langdon will search to renew his climb in direction of one other England call-up. He has been excellent all season for Northampton and is broadly thought-about as a chief contender for Steve Borthwick’s squad for the summer season tour of Japan and New Zealand.
Langdon grew up trying as much as Saracens legend and former South Africa worldwide Schalk Brits
He’s a contender for Steve Borthwick’s squad for the summer season tour of Japan and New Zealand
Langdon gained two caps in the summertime of 2021 and stated: ‘The tour is a serious aim and I need to play extra for England.
‘If I get that chance once more, I need to be prepared so I can profit from it and keep in that jersey for a very long time.’
