Former Sale back Ben Foden is hoping his move to promoted Northampton will help him break into the senior England squad.

The highly-talented Foden was played mostly at full-back by Sale and he has moved to the Saints in order to get game time at his preferred position of scrum-half.

Foden is putting particular faith in his link-up with Saints director of rugby Jim Mallinder, who coached the 22-year-old through the England levels at U16, U18 and U21.

After recovering earlier this year from a long-term injury, Foden's form for Sale during the season run-in was excellent and earned him a place in the England Saxons squad for the Churchill Cup in Canada and the USA.

But that is at full-back and he hopes a stint under Mallinder will boost his chances of competing for the England scrum-half jersey.

"Hopefully by concentrating on the nine shirt I can put in performances that will put me in England recognition," Foden told the Northampton Chronicle and Echo.

"Jim is a very good coach and hopefully he can help me achieve that. He sold me the vision to join Northampton and when he showed me around you realise he is at the right club to take the team places.

"The support and the facilities are all here and Jim is a quality coach.

"I've worked with Jim with England and he was at Sale when I started as a youngster. He is very good at pulling you aside and telling you what you need to do right.

"If you are rested there will always be a reason for it and that is what players like. He will explain what you need to improve on to get into the team.

"I know it will be a very tough battle next season at scrum-half with Lee Dickson and Alan Dickens at the club, but I will put everything into and hopefully it will work out for me."

With Foden touching down for eight tries last campaign, Sale were reluctant to let him go and actively tried to persuade him to stay at Edgeley Park.

But Foden explains that he made his decision mid-way through the season and was determined to honour it.

"I spoke to Jim Mallinder halfway through the season when I was in talks about coming to Northampton," added Foden.

"He sees me as a nine and a full-back but he said he would give me opportunities and if I take them I will be playing nine regularly.

"I signed quite a long time ago actually, Sale were a bit reluctant to let me go but it was a decision I made personally.

"It was something I needed to stick to really and I'm looking forward to coming down to Northampton.

"I think they have got a good thing going on down there.

"They've made some really good signings in the summer and hopefully they'll be a team to be reckoned with.

"Hopefully I'll be able to put in the performances down at Franklins Gardens that I've been putting in at Edgeley Park."

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport