That’s the lot from me today. Thanks for reading and congratulations to Leicester. I will leave you with Robert Kitson’s report of a memorable Twickenham final:
Freddie Burns joked in his post-match interviews about not celebrating too early after this infamous incident, when he played for Bath, back in 2018:
But there is no question that this drop goal is the moment he’ll be remembered for – all the more remarkable considering George Ford would probably still have been on the field, even at that late stage, if it wasn’t for his first-half injury. Well played, Freddie Burns.
THE GREATEST MOMENT IN FREDDIE BURNS' LIFE! 🤩
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 18, 2022
Comes on to replace an injured George Ford, picks up an injury himself, soldiers on, and kicks the drop-goal to win the match 🤯
Simply incredible! #GallagherPremFinal pic.twitter.com/eQXBwVDdjV
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The “We are the champions” social media graphic from Leicester:
We did it, #TigersFamily 🐯 pic.twitter.com/2cmVFwLDKx
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 18, 2022
Austin Healey on BT reveals that Toddington Services on the M1 is always a big party hotspot when Leicester have won a title. “You can keep your Ministry of Sound,” he insists.
Ellis Genge, the departing Leicester captain, speaks: “I think I get more emotional the more I speak ... We’ve had a good year for certain reasons ... obviously it’s been an emotional few weeks for us as a club. I think we’ve got everything we deserved ... What these brilliant fans don’t see is the 8.30 starts and 4 o’clock finishes, relentless, the whole way through. We’ve worked for everything we’ve got ... Credit to the boys, I’m buzzing for all the young boys ... They’ve started their careers with a Premiership trophy ... this group deserve it.
“I’ve been at the club six and a half seasons. I remember I came here, I think it was the 1st of Feb 2016 ... I was never supposed to be here. To come to a club with so much prestige, and all those greats that have played before me, is brilliant for me. I’ve made some lifelong friends along the way, people I never thought I’d even chat to, let along be mates with. For me it’s a very good day.
For BT Sport, Sarra Elgan Easterby asks what is special for Genge about working with Steve Borthwick: “I just respect the bloke. He goes about his work quietly, he never wants any plaudits. To work as hard as he does, and not get the reassurance all the time, I don’t know how he does it. If I did that, I’d need a pat on the bum every five seconds to say – “You’re doing well, you’re doing well.” But he sticks to his process, he backs himself, he backs us, and we’ve come away with a trophy.”
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Mark McCall, the Saracens director of rugby, speaks to BT Sport: “Congratulations to Leicester, they’ve had a wonderful season, a brilliant season ... They were very good today, they were too good for us today. I think they’re very good at dominating territory, and suffocating you, and not allowing you to play the game you want to play. We kind of knew that beforehand, but we weren’t able to deal with it anywhere near as well as we’d hoped today.
“It’s been a really positive season overall given where we were. At the same time it’s incredibly disappointing to perform the way we did when it mattered most, to be honest. We’ve got some real potential in this group ... but we’re disappointed today.”
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Steve Borthwick, the Leicester head coach, has a chat with BT Sport: “It was tight, it was nerve-wracking but I’m so proud and pleased for the players. They worked really hard to get to this point and to find a way to win at the end, I’m just delighted for them.”
On the winning drop goal: “The players on the pitch had the composure to work themselves into a good position. We got to that good position. I watched him yesterday [Freddie Burns] striking these balls at the training ground ... he’s got nerves of steel, hasn’t he?
“Everybody in the whole club has worked really hard to get to this position. It wasn’t so long ago there were some very dark times. I’m just delighted for everyone. I think everybody at the club is still hurting for the Youngs family. [Tiffany Youngs, Tom Youngs’s wife, died earlier this month aged 35.] It was just very classy at the end for Ellis and Tom to pick the trophy up together. It just shows how tight the players are.
“It’s funny. When you work one week at a time, work really hard, and be really clear on what you are going to do, then something like this can happen. I don’t think anyone would have imagined we could have got close to this, not so long ago. But the boys have, and that’s credit to all their hard work. Ultimately you want to win rugby games but you’ve got to make your family proud, you’ve got to be proud of yourself, and make your friends proud of you. That’s what we do each week.”
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Freddie Burns, now speaking to ITV4, is asked by David Flatman if he thought this day would never come: “100 per cent. Even with 75 minutes on the clock, with a man in the bin [I thought it wasn’t going to happen].
“I’ve got to give special credit to George Ford who’s been unbelievable all year, those were big boots to fill when I came on.”
Burns then joins in with “Take Me Home, Country Roads” which is blasting over the PA and leaves to celebrate with his teammates. “Three days on the sauce,” he reckons.
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Richard Wigglesworth, a surprise selection at No 9 for Leicester, has a chat: “We were on the ropes for a long time but showed a lot of character. We were determined to come out firing, and leave nothing out there, and we did. Saracens are a champion club, full of champion people, and you knew they weren’t going to go away.”
Freddie Burns speaks: “I’m all cried out, I need to top my fluids up with some champagne and some cider. I can’t believe it. I thought moments like this weren’t made for me ... honestly, it means everything. I’m in disbelief.
“When I started this journey at five years old I had two ambitions, to play for England and to win the Premiership, and I’ve down both now. To get the drop-kick over, I can’t believe it. I just wanted to run and celebrate but then I realised there was still time on the clock.”
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Robert Kitson’s report:
The final whistle, and Leicester’s celebrations, available to watch on Twitter thanks to BT Sport:
The most remarkable ending to an extraordinary comeback tale... 🤯
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 18, 2022
After years of struggle, @LeicesterTigers have fought their way back to the top of English rugby 💪
Premiership champions once again 🏆 #GallagherPremFinal pic.twitter.com/45zj80pEnq
“Job Done.”
Is the always-understated Steve Borthwick doing Leicester’s Twitter as well as coaching the team?
Job done. ✅ #LEIvSAR 🏉 #COYT 👊 pic.twitter.com/ny7DnSMWCE
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 18, 2022
Owen Farrell has a chat with Martin Bayfield on BT Sport: “It was a game of not making too many mistakes. We wanted something to hit, something to get our teeth into, at times ... and Leicester didn’t give us that ... full credit to Leicester, they’ve been outstanding all year and they carried that over into this final. They stuck to their game plan and when we made mistakes, they punished us. It was as simple as that.
“They got a few mistakes in our half and managed to punish us, that was it.”
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Leicester’s Jasper Wiese speaks: “It’s everybody’s win. It just shows the hard work we’ve put in through the season. It’s special. With some of the boys leaving, we said: this is the last one together. It’s special, it’s unbelievable.
“We wanted to be unpredictable in attack, and the defence ... the coaches got it right this week and got everyone fired up. The coaches told us - Don’t worry about the mistakes ... everybody’s going 100 per cent, giving it all for the guy next to them ... I think the family we’ve made, the boys are tight, we play for each other ... all the fans are here, everybody being there for us. It’s amazing.”
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Full-time! Leicester are Premiership champions! Final score: Leicester 15-12 Saracens
Absolutely amazing drama right at the end. Owen Farrell’s penalty looked to have forced extra-time – and Leicester were down to 14 men after a late yellow card. But the Tigers launched one final assault on the Saracens try-line and moved through several phases ... and Freddie Burns was in position to knock over the decisive drop goal! That’s an 11th title for Leicester.
Steve Borthwick, their very impressive head coach, sits motionless as the final whistle sounds and then drops his head, seemingly in disbelief. But he will be feeling such incredible emotion on the inside. What an achievement by him and his team. And what a final. No one can say Leicester don’t deserve their title with the way they dominated the regular season. Added to which Saracens were fortunate not to be down to 14 men permanently after that high hit by Davies in the first half.
In the end it was a wonderful final that lived up to all the pre-match hype. Remarkable.
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79 min: It was Burns’s high kick that set up that attack. Then marshalled by Youngs, Leicester moved through several phases, and engineered the field position for Burns to send over a drop goal! The game will restart ...
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Drop goal! 79 min: Leicester 15-12 Saracens (Burns)
Amazing!
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78 min: After an exchange of kicks, Burns puts up a high kick and nearly gathers it on the chase, but that sets up Leicester with the field position for a final bash at the Saracens try-line.
75 min: Penalty! Leicester 12-12 Saracens (Farrell)
And Farrell draws the scores level with an easy penalty.
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75 min: Yellow card for Leicester! (Scott)
There is arguably little justice in that for Leicester as Scott’s tackle was so much less serious than the one in the first half by Davies. Regardless, they are down to 14 men.
75 min: Billy Vunipola picks the ball out of the scrum and rushes towards the try-line. Some desperate defence by Leicester keeps him out. Now the TMO is having a look at a high hit by Matt Scott on Vunipola. The crowd wails as the replays are shown on the big screen.
73 min: Saracens roar into the Leicester 22 and the Tigers are seriously stretched! Leicester look tired but they manage to reset their defence and they keep Saracens out, for now. It was Farrell who offloaded to Jamie George, who was held up just short. And now Saracens have the put-in at a scrum five metres out as we move towards the final five minutes.
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72 min: Sarries attack with ball in hand. Farrell delays a pass in midfield, and when he finally does deliver it, it bounces off Billy Vunipola and into the grateful hands of a Leicester player.
70 min: We are into the final 10 minutes of the Premiership season. And it is very much in the balance. Saracens are growing into this at what might be the most important time ...
67 min: It was Charlie Clare, Harry Wells and Ben Youngs that came on for Leicester, with Julián Montoya, Calum Green and Richard Wigglesworth going off.
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Penalty! 63 min: Leicester 12-9 Saracens (Farrell)
Farrell knocks over a simple penalty after that spell of pressure for Saracens. Surely the right call to take the points. Genge goes off for Leicester, Montoya is off with an HIA, and it looks like Borthwick has just freshened up his whole front row.
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61 min: Farrell snatches a ball in midfield and runs determinedly through a gap, seemingly wanting to inject a bit of urgency into his team’s play. It works – they move through several phases and edge into the Tigers 22. Farrell gets his hands on the ball three times in the attack. Then the TMO flags up a tackle off the ball, and Saracens have a penalty after a fairly long advantage played by Barnes. It’s a chance for Saracens, do they kick for the corner or take the points?
60 min: Leicester’s Matt Scott comes on for Matías Moroni. It seems it’s a tactical switch, although the commentators initially said it may have been an HIA.
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58 min: Ben Early coughs up the latest penalty won by Leicester as the game approaches its fourth and final quarter. It looked like the penalty was awarded for Earl going off his feet at a ruck. Anyway, Leicester kick for territory and then run the ball off the lineout with Porter making a muscular carry and smashing through a couple of would-be tacklers. Leicester remain encamped in the Saracens half.
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55 min: Leicester construct an excellent driving maul on their right wing and move to within a couple of metres of the try-line. Saracens defend it equally well, and win the put-in at a scrum. McCall is pictured looking very concerned up in the stands and it easy to see why. Saracens haven’t fired a shot in this second half so far although their defence is standing firm.
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53 min: The Tigers work through a few more phases in the Saracens 22. Burns sends up a crosskick intended for Ashton. But Daly defends it very well, catching and then being bundled into touch by Ashton. Dan Cole goes off for Leicester, Joe Heyes on.
51 min: Leicester kick a penalty for the corner and then rumble a maul towards the try-line. They win another penalty. There is a real sense that they are turning the screw on Saracens here. The likes of Itoje have been very quiet but there is still time.
49 min: Burns mops up a long kick ahead from Sarries and clears. Saracens look to build some more continuity in attack. They are turned over yet again, and a stunning kick for the corner by Steward puts Malins under plenty of pressure. The result is a lineout for Leicester deep in their opponents’ territory.
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47 min: Some strong defending from Leicester sees them turn over Saracens while McCall’s team are looking to build themselves back into this game. They are less than a converted try ahead on the scoreboard, of course, but are playing with the authority of Premiership winners at the moment.
43 min: Leicester attack down the left thanks in part to a bright run from Harry Potter. After initially playing advantage Barnes penalises Saracens for not rolling away, and Burns will have a crack at a very tough, long penalty kick from out on the touchline ... he has the distance, but the ball sneaks outside the left-hand post.
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Second half kick-off!
Alex Lozowski is on for Saracens, in place of the injured Sean Maitland. Which team is going to seize the initiative in the second half?
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Half-time reading:
Half-time! Leicester 12-6 Saracens
Saracens attack in the closing moments, but a knock-on by Isiekwe brings their efforts, and the first half, to a close. That was great to watch – plenty of kicking in the first 10 minutes, but since then there has been lots of ambition and opportunity for both sides to do a bit of attacking with the ball in hand. Saracens are arguably fortunate not to be a man down following that high hit by Aled Davies, for which he was shown a yellow-card. But regardless, they are still going to be up against it if Leicester can continue to piece their game together in such impression fashion. See you in a few minutes for more.
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35 min: Try! Leicester 12-6 Saracens (Wiese)
That is a fantastic set-piece move by Leicester and it brings a five-pointer. After the scrum penalty, Genge taps it and bashes his way towards the line. He is tackled but sucks in three or four defenders at least. The Tigers scrum-half Wigglesworth seizes on the ball and pops up a perfect short pass to Wiese who is on already on the move and has built up enough momentum to crash over the try-line. Burns cannot convert this time, but that was a brilliantly executed move and one that will boost Leicester’s confidence, not to mention their points tally.
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33 min: Wigglesworth charges down an attempted Farrell kick from hand. Wigglesworth, somewhat comically, has no idea where the ball has gone. It has squirted out to the Tigers’ right, where Ashton scoops it up and then tries a kick infield for a teammate to run on to. It flicks off a Saracens body and then Farrell recovers to claim the ball in the in-goal area. Leicester get another five-metre scrum ... and this time they win a penalty of their own from a scrum!
Penalty! 31 min: Leicester 7-6 Saracens (Daly)
Farrell hands the kicking duties over to Daly for a long-range dig at goal just inside the Leicester half. Daly thumps a quite beautiful kick which loops perfectly through the middle of the posts. A stunning kick. And a handy piece of damage limitation for Saracens.
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Try! 27 min: Leicester 7-3 Saracens (Liebenberg)
Steward and Ashton storm down the left wing. Ashton is held up short. But in the next phase Liebenberg forces his way over as Leicester immediately capitalise on Saracens’ numerical disadvantage. Burns, seemingly free of nerves, clips through a superb conversion from out on the touchline. The Tigers lead!
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25 min: Yellow card for Saracens! Aled Davies
It’s only a yellow for Davies. Arguably very lucky that it wasn’t a red. That was a really nasty collision. But there it is.
25 min: The TMO is having a look at by Aled Davies of Saracens on Julián Montoya. It’s a left shoulder direct to the face. Looks like it could be a red card ...
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23 min: Ford continues to receive treatment. Wayne Barnes tells the Tigers medical team: “You have to make a decision at some point.” And with that Ford holds his head in his hands as he starts to hobble off the pitch. Freddie Burns comes on. That’s a very sad end to Ford’s time as a Leicester player. But can his teammates deliver the Premiership regardless?
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23 min: Ford starts another attack for Leicester but after offloading inside on the left wing he goes down injured with what appears to be a twisted ankle. There is a break in play while he receives treatment.
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22 min: Ford has a chance to level the scores from the kicking tee but directs the ball right of the posts and Saracens remain in the lead. With more than a quarter of the match gone it’s already looking likely to be a tight, low-scoring affair and that miss could be important in the final reckoning.
18 min: Billy Vunipola embarks on a rampaging run into the Leicester half. The Tigers are under pressure, but they win a penalty after a double tackle by Farrell and a teammate near the Leicester try-line.
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16 min: Leicester have Saracens where they want them ... but Saracens win the penalty from the scrum! Dan Cole loses his bind and collapses to the floor. Standing near the scrum, Owen Farrell is pictured punching the air and roaring his approval of the penalty as if it’s a try or better.
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14 min: Having pinned Saracens back, Leicester now look to put the ball through the hands for a few phases, orchestrated by Ford. Then a smart kick through puts Goode under massive pressure in the Sarries in-goal area, and Leicester swarm all over him and win a five-metre scrum.
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12 min: Ford puts up another garryowen for Leicester. The full-back Goode catches it, calls for a mark, then looks to run it out of his own 22. He is soon smothered by Tigers tacklers. Leicester are constantly kicking for territory and asking Saracens whether they want to run it or kick it back. The answer is mostly kick.
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8 min: There is plenty of kicking from hand, which we expected. Steward belts a powerful low one which Isiekwe catches smartly and then carries ... but he knocks on in contact and Leicester have a scrum. It’s a low risk/low reward approach from both teams in the early stages, and I’m already left hoping that it doesn’t continue in quite the same vein.
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Penalty! 5 min: Leicester 0-3 Saracens (Farrell)
That marginally late tackle by Liebenberg allows Saracens to edge in front as Farrell strokes the penalty over from a central position. It wasn’t the shortest of distances but he had a full sight of the target. The early signs are that Saracens are managing this game better of the two sides.
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4 min: The Tigers’ Hanro Liebenberg is penalised for a late tackle with Saracens on the attack. Farrell will kick for goal.
2 min: Freddie Steward of Leicester drops a high ball in midfield. Wayne Barnes plays the advantage for Saracens, but then brings it back for a scrum after a forward pass out wide. The forwards pack down for an early shoving contest.
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First half kick-off!
Owen Farrell gets things started for Saracens.
Here we go. The teams are walking out on to the Twickenham pitch. The pyrotechnics are firing. And the crowd, packed into Twickenham for a Premiership final for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, are roaring and ready to go.
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Steve Borthwick takes a lineout drill before kick-off at Twickenham.
“Whoever is more dominant and more ‘alpha’ in the collisions is likely to win the game as the breakdown will be easier,” says Flatman on ITV4. “Get as technical as you want, but the big lads need to deliver ball.”
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Under 10 minutes until kick-off. But you’ve got time to watch very good BT Sport feature on Leicester’s resurgence since being spared relegation two seasons ago:
An extraordinary comeback tale that could end in Premiership glory... 🏆
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 18, 2022
Two years after being spared the drop, @LeicesterTigers now have a shot at redemption 😤
Hard-work and resilience, words that simply define the culture at this club 💪#GallagherPremFinal pic.twitter.com/U4r501gZ7M
“On a train journey from Madrid to Córdoba,” emails Steve Moore, a Tigers member “on an unfortunately timed holiday”.
“The heat here could be nothing to that generated at the game in 20 minutes.”
Let’s hope it’s a hot one.
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“I made a pact a long time ago that I’d never leave Tigers if they were in a dark hole,” Genge says as he prepares for the Premiership final against Saracens. “I had all sorts of offers to go elsewhere when we were bottom of the pile. I said I wanted to stick it out to see brighter days. So I can hopefully leave with my head held high.”
Daniel Gallan speaks to Ellis Genge of Leicester before his final match for the club:
Leicester’s head coach Steve Borthwick speaks: “Tactically let’s be smart, let’s have a good plan, but let’s put in a performance we can be proud of ... you can try and be safe, but I want the players to be proud of their performance, and I want the fans to be proud of their team.
“It’s a great journey we’re on, we’ve enjoyed this week, and we’ll enjoy today. I’m excited every week ... I’m enjoying every second of it.”
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Leicester fans, Saracens fans, and indeed neutrals: how are you feeling for this one?
You can email me or tweet @LukeMcLaughlin with your thoughts. Get involved.
Mark McCall, the Saracens director of rugby, speaks to ITV4: “It feels good to be back, it feels good to be here, and we’re looking forward to the match.
“Leicester tend to dominate territory against anyone they play and we need a find a way to stop them doing that.”
“Saracens should win,” Dallaglio reckons, speaking on BT Sport.
“The bookies are saying Saracens and they don’t often get it wrong. But I haven’t got a clue who’s going to win,” chips in David Flatman, over on ITV4.
There’s been a spot of rain in Twickenham this afternoon but the forecast is for it to stay dry for the rest of the day. It’s around 22C, which is going to be a lot more comfortable for the players than had the final been played in the plus-30 degree temperatures of yesterday.
On BT Sport, Craig Doyle, Ugo Monye and Lawrence Dallaglio are currently having a chat, as they usually do before a live match. The only difference here is they are doing it on a stage in a car park full of bellowing rugby fans. As Doyle points out, it’s good to see so many fans in attendance this year – last year’s final was restricted to an attendance of 10,000 due to Covid-19.
The atmosphere is building outside Twickenham... 🗣
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 18, 2022
📺 #GallagherPremFinal | BT Sport 1 HD pic.twitter.com/SiFZyF2up5
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What sets these two sides apart is they have an acute awareness of the importance of maintaining tactical discipline throughout matches. It is such a difficult craft to master and it is so undervalued. Whether it’s the coaches or the players driving that, or a mixture of both, it is a key reason why Leicester and Saracens have got as far as they have.
Owen Farrell was a teenager playing like an old-timer the last time Sarries and Leicester collided in a Twickenham final, in 2011, kicking soaring touchline conversions and fitting seamlessly into a side captained by Steve Borthwick, the current Tigers’ head coach. Now, at 30, he is an old-timer seeking to regain some of that youthful energy.
Teams
The Leicester head coach Borthwick has opted to bring two former Saracens into his starting lineup, with the veteran Richard Wigglesworth at No 9 and Chris Ashton coming in on the wing. The England scrum-half Ben Youngs starts on the bench. There is one change for Saracens with the lock Nick Isiekwe coming into the starting lineup for Tim Swinson.
Leicester: Freddie Steward, Chris Ashton, Matías Moroni, Guy Porter, Harry Potter, George Ford, Richard Wigglesworth; Ellis Genge (capt.), Julián Montoya, Dan Cole, Ollie Chessum, Calum Green, Hanro Liebenberg (vc), Tommy Reffell, Jasper Wiese. Replacements: Charlie Clare, Nephi Leatigaga, Joe Heyes, Harry Wells, George Martin, Ben Youngs, Freddie Burns, Matt Scott.
Saracens: Alex Goode, Max Malins, Elliot Daly, Nick Tompkins, Sean Maitland, Owen Farrell (capt.), Aled Davies; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Vincent Koch, Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe, Theo McFarland, Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola. Replacements: Kapeli Pifeleti, Eroni Mawi, Alec Clarey, Jackson Wray, Andy Christie, Ivan van Zyl, Duncan Taylor, Alex Lozowski.
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Preamble
Will it be blood and thunder or thud and blunder? At the culmination of a Premiership season often characterised by attacking ambition and expansive, running rugby, two sides built on defensive discipline, structure and set-piece efficiency will grapple for the title at Twickenham this afternoon.
Leicester have already made history by becoming the first team to top the Premiership table after every round of the regular season. They eventually finished seven points clear of second-placed Saracens, their opponents today, and there can be no doubt Steve Borthwick’s Tigers were the best and most consistent side throughout a campaign which began more than nine months ago. But Saracens, back in the top flight following the deeply damaging salary cap scandal, have immediately created an opportunity for themselves to consign all of that to the past.
Harlequins and Northampton, the two more artful sides left standing at the end of 26 rounds, both fell in the playoff semi-finals, leaving these two traditional heavyweights of the domestic game to fight it out. The Saracens and England fly-half Owen Farrell has never lost a Premiership final – he has won five – but the 10-times champions Leicester, for whom captain Ellis Genge and George Ford both play their final matches, will be utterly determined to justify their No 1 billing.
Team news, pre-match reading and much more coming up.
Kick-off: 3pm
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