Leicester and Saracens will contest the Gallagher Premiership final at Twickenham on Saturday in a heavyweight collision between two English rugby giants.
Tigers have won the title eight times but their last triumph was nine years ago, while Saracens are chasing a sixth crown after returning to the Premiership this season.
Here, the PA news agency assesses some key talking points heading into the game.
Saracens back on the big stage
Tigers hunting Premiership silverware again
The Journey to Twickenham.#COYT ? #TigersFamily ? pic.twitter.com/7uLJyLtxNS
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 16, 2022
Even the most fanatical Leicester supporter probably needs to blink twice when gauging Tigers’ revival under head coach Steve Borthwick. Leicester finished 11th in the Premiership in 2019 and 2020, winning just 13 of their 44 league games across those two campaigns. Saracens’ relegation spared them making the drop in 2020, but Borthwick has managed an astounding recovery act. This season, they won all their Premiership homes games, went top of the table in September and stayed there for nine months. They are back in the domestic final after nine years away and victory on Saturday would represent an inspiring feelgood story.
Ford versus Farrell
Front-row warriors ready for battle
Eddie Jones keeping fingers crossed
Congratulations to @Saracens and @LeicesterTigers for reaching the @premrugby final ?? pic.twitter.com/BDYBePx4vx
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) June 11, 2022
England head coach Eddie Jones will name his squad on Monday for a three-Test tour of Australia that starts in just 15 days’ time. Jones has already lost injured quartet Manu Tuilagi, Henry Slade, Kyle Sinckler and Sam Simmonds from his plans, with a final fixture against the Barbarians on Sunday still to negotiate before departure Down Under. The Premiership final could see at least a dozen of Jones’ likely tour group in action, including several headline acts, so he can only keep his fingers crossed that the casualty count does not increase.
