Last-gasp Burns drop goal wins Leicester the Premiership title
Whatever way it panned out, English rugby was going to have its headline story coming out of Twickenham on Saturday. Either Saracens, the 2019 champions when HQ last played host to a belter of Gallagher Premiership final attendance, would have deliciously given a two-fingered salute to the powers that be over their 2020 automatic relegation from the top flight; or else Leicester would confirm their rebirth as a powerhouse, lifting the title for the first time since 2013 and consigning to history a pair of devastating successive eleventh placed finishes.
How very enticing. Seven points and three wins had separated these warring factions on the regular-season table, Tigers finishing out in front. And that pecking order was epically repeated here following an energy-sapping contest that lived up to the marketing gurus’ “world-class action, unmissable entertainment” billing if claustrophobic nip and tuck was your thing followed by a dramatic denouement.
Leicester scored the only tries, pouncing twice during Aled Davies’ first-half sin-binning, but with the scores deadlocked at 12-all following a courageous second-half Saracens fight back, it was all dramatically decided by a Freddie Burns drop goal with 23 seconds remaining on the stadium countdown clock when the ball went between the posts.
Tigers secured the restart, Burns was tossed the ball and after he clattered it into the crowd, the final whistle of Wayne Barnes sounded at 4:52pm. Cue delirium from the players and supporters of the East Midlands club that had waited nine years for glory. It was especially apt that it was Burns who delivered the telling blow to make it a 15-12 final result as he had filled in competently for George Ford, the Leicester player of the season, after he hobbles away injured in the first half.
Burns’ heroics provided an enthralling conclusion to a special day that had begun with fever-pitch anticipation, all routes to the rugby cathedral bustling with supporters keen on arriving early to soak up a mostly packed house atmosphere at a showpiece final for the first time in three years since the pandemic played spoilsport with this must-see annual English spectacle.
How many have dreamed of being in a moment like this too #LEIvSAR https://t.co/wCg2tooEvF
— Danny O Brien ?????? (@DannyEdoBrien) June 18, 2022
You couldn’t twist or turn in the expectant throng without bumping into a familiar face, be it Sam Warburton and Bryan Habana posting for selfies with the fans, Nigel Wray strolling along Rugby Road, or Nathan Hines and his horde of rugby glitterati who had just completed their brilliantly onerous charity cycle around England.
There they were, parading around with the Premiership trophy that was to be handed over some hours later to a joyous Leicester, an outcome that wasn’t envisaged given the way the match had initially started. Tigers enjoyed the dominant support but it began unconvincingly for them with a knock-on from Freddie Steward, of all the usually reliable people, and then a late tackle on Nick Tompkins had Owen Farrell opening the scoring with a fifth-minute penalty.
It took Leicester nearly all of 15 minutes to have something major to cheer, Alex Goode conceding a scrum five after getting into all sorts of bother with a swiftly pressured pass lumped to him by Davies, but they infringed at the resulting five-metre scrum – and they were also wide seven minutes later with a penalty kick from Ford after Billy Vunipola illegally played the nine.
Ford soon needed treatment, slipping awkwardly and hurting his right foot/ankle when passing to his inside near halfway, and it was the cue for the concerned Steve Borthwick to make his 24th-minute way down to the sideline for a pep talk with the incoming Freddie Burns.
The inaccurate Leicester needed a break and they quickly got it from an unexpected source, Davies getting yellow carded for clattering into the head of Julian Montoya. After the penalty was pinged into touch, Chris Ashton was threatening the line after Steward created an inviting edge before back-rower Hanro Liebenberg burrowed over from the ensuing ruck for the score converted by quickly settled in Burns.
That 7-3 advantage was immediately cut into, Leicester failing to roll away at a breakdown and Elliot Daly punishing with a kick from distance. But back came a now ravenous Leicester with Richard Wigglesworth charging down a Farrell clearance and forcing the Saracens out-half to carry over his line for the concession of another scrum-five that led to a Tigers penalty.
They tapped and barged their way over off the second phase, Jasper Wiese grabbing the 35th-minute unconverted try and increasing the damage inflicted while Davies was in the bin to a dozen wounding points to just three in reply.
It meant the gap at the break was 12-6, a deserved price for Saracens to pay given the far greater number of turnovers they gave up once Leicester generated momentum, but Burns couldn’t stretch the margin after the resumption after the Londoners didn’t roll away on the floor.
Saracens’ turnover issues continued, though, and Leicester hammered away looking to make it a two-score game but they came unstuck with their maul not being clinical enough. They then conceded at the first scrum of the half five metres from the try line on an opposition put-in, while No8 Vunipola was also a penalty-winning nuisance to ruin another promising position.
Unable to inflict the knockout punch, it was inevitable that Saracens would claw their way closer and the gap was down to three points 16 minutes from the end when Farrell punished Ollie Chessum’s off-the-ball tackle on Max Malins.
It was now officially squeaky bum time at Twickenham, especially when a trio of Saracens replacements combined, Eroni Mawi with a rip, Andy Christie with a gigantic carry and then a further carry from Duncan Taylor.
It culminated in them getting a scrum seven metres out near the posts and they then had a penalty coming after a chunky Vuniopla run forced a penalty and a yellow card against Matt Scott with 4:51 remaining on the stadium countdown clock. Farrell levelled it up when time was back on.
Extra-time? Not a chance. Having been denied all second half, Leicester got it sweetly right when it most mattered and following a slick, composed, multi-phase attack, Burns stepped forward to give them a dream finish that was only added to by the wonderful sight of Tom Youngs helping Ellis Genge lift the trophy. A classy touch to end a classy day for the Tigers.
Comments on RugbyPass
What was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
28 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
28 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
28 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to comments