Jim Mallinder sacked as director of rugby at Northampton Saints

• Saints board were under pressure after string of poor results • Alan Dickens will take over as interim head coachJim Mallinder has been sacked as Northampton director of rugby. Saints chairman John White said “the board and major shareholders felt that the time was right for some change,” in a statement released by the Aviva Premiership club.Former England full-back Mallinder was the Premiership’s longest-serving rugby director, having taken over at Franklin’s Gardens in 2007. Related: Congested calendar and lack of planning to blame for Saracens fixture pantomime | Robert Kitson Continue r…