“He’s good, he’s back training,” Dowson said in a press conference on Tuesday, adding: “It’s great for TP because he’s been frustrated, and it won’t be long before he’s back out there.”

There’s no confirmation that he’ll be ready for a return ahead of the Saints’ match against Leicester Tigers on Saturday, but the fact that he’s back training with the full squad is a hugely promising sign for the player.

Elsewhere, tighthead prop Luke Green has also returned to training after missing the start of the season through injury, while England quartet Manny Iyogun, Alex Coles, Henry Pollock and Tommy Freeman are all expected to return this weekend after being rested against Cardiff in the Champions Cup on Sunday.

There’s still no positive movement for Lefty Zigiriadis and Tom Litchfield, however, who both remain on the “long-term” injury list.

“Selection was difficult this week”

At scrum-half, Dowson has the enviable position of being able to pick between the experienced Alex Mitchell and the youthful Archie McParland – both of whom are in excellent form.

“It’s fantastic for them to compete during training, to push each other, to manage their minutes,” Dowson said.