Northampton head of performance Nick Johnson believes Saints must improve their fitness if they are to challenge for a top-four spot in the Premiership.

Johnson joined the club this year having worked with Saints' director of rugby Jim Mallinder at Sale Sharks.

"We are off the pace for various reasons, (but it is) nothing we can't get to," he told BBC Radio Northampton.

"I would say we're two years off the top four or six in the league in terms of fitness levels."

He continued: "Hopefully we'll catch them up and we'll make a lot of progress this year. This is a three-year plan as far as I'm concerned."