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Leicester player ratings vs Saracens | Gallagher Premiership final
Leicester player ratings: It’s been a minute, but Steve Borthwick’s Tigers came into this final bidding to win the Premiership title for the ninth time in their history.
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Tigers led the regular season from start to finish, while favourites Saracens were looking to complete their redemption story having fought back from relegation for repeated salary cap breaches.
At the heart of the contest was the fly-half battle between George Ford and Owen Farrell, but in the end it will Freddie Burns that everyone will be talking about.
15 FREDDIE STEWARD – 8
The England fullback came into this fixture is rare form, having scored a try in each of his last five Premiership run outs. His kicking hit a bum note in the opening exchanges, not the only Tiger to lack accuracy in that area of the game. Looked sublime with ball in hand, his huge frame making him a real problem to down.
14 CHRIS ASHTON – 7
A back division reshuffle accomodated Ashton, with Borthwick maybe looking to utilise the former Saracens star’s inside knowledge of his former team. Showed his trademark intelligence and posed a persistent threat when near the ball.
What scenes! #GallagherPremFinal pic.twitter.com/tNR99B4hql
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 18, 2022
13 MATÍAS MORONI – 6
With the men in green and red pursuing a kick contest strategy, the Argentinian didn’t see much of the ball for large segments of the game.
12 GUY PORTER – 7.5
Another midfielder whose contributions were relatively limited in the first half. Played himself into the second with some big moments with ball in hand.
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11 HARRY POTTER – 7
One the many Leicester players that looked a little spooked early doors. Kept busy, not allowing a few turnovers to put him off. Defensively sound.
10 GEORGE FORD – 5
Sale bound Ford was top points scorer this season’s Premiership but didn’t get to add to his haul after missing a shot at goal before twisting his ankle just 20 minutes in. Not how he wanted to finish his time at the club.
9 RICHARD WIGGLESWORTH – 8
The 39-year-old was on box kicking duty for much of the first half, a tactic Leicester were commited to. Put his insider knowledge to good use when charigng down former teammate Owen Farrell in the 34th minute. His short ball a few minutes later for Tigers’ second try was superb.
1 ELLIS GENGE (C) – 7.5
At the frontline of the midlanders physical effort, punching holes in Saracens defence at short range. Just about survived the Koch at scrumtime. Removed after 65 minutes, bringing to an end a six season stint at Leicester, a moment that seemed to go relatively unnoticed by the Leicester faithful in the heat of the moment.
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Saracens are given a lifeline another yellow card #saracens #GallagherPremFinal pic.twitter.com/cI5Nu6FpMw
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 18, 2022
2 JULIÁN MONTOYA – 7
Took a big shot to chops from Aled Davies. Mutliple efforts on both sides of the ball, but especially in defence. Went off for a HIA and didn’t return.
3 DAN COLE – 5
Gave away a telling penalty with Leicester parked on Sarries 5 metre line but stayed in the fight, the old bull getting a raptuous reception when leaving the field.
4 OLLIE CHESSUM – 7
One of Leicester’s best forward carriers in the initials stages, it was back to piano shifting in the latter ones.
5 CALUM GREEN – 6
Blood and guts stuff from Green, who was in the thick of it until being replaced after 62 minutes. Had emptied himself.
6 HANRO LIEBENBERG – 8.5
The big backrow showed good strength to power over for the final’s first try from close range to settle Leicester’s nerves. One of the few players to slow down a rampant Billy Vunipola.
7 TOMMY REFFELL – 7.5
Tigers’ turnover king struck again just after halftime. Had a ding dong battle with Ben Earl before coming off after 62 minutes.
8 JASPER WIESE – 8
Picked up and carried backward by messrs Farrell and Tompkins in the 18th minute. Saracens did well to manage him but he wouldn’t take no for an answer for Leicester second try. Like the Terminator, he just won’t stop.
REPLACEMENTS
16 CHARLIE CLARE – 6
Did a job for Bortwick when coming on for an apparently concussed Montoya.
17 NEPHI LEATIGAGA – 6
Tigers’ heavyweight super sub this season, Leatigaga replaced Genge after 65 minutes. Added his 23 odd stone to proceedings.
18 JOE HEYES – 7
Took over from Cole 10 minutes into the second half and played his part in creating a meat wall that Saracens ulitmately couldn’t surmount.
19 HARRY WELLS – 6
Tigers’ ‘winniest’ player wth 21 wins this season from 24 games, Wells had to make do with a spot on the bench, before coming on for Green as the final quarter beckoned.
20 GEORGE MARTIN – 7
Came into the heat of battle and got stuck in.
21 BEN YOUNGS – 7
The England man brought some much needed go forward when he came on.
22 FREDDIE BURNS – 8.5
Took over the reins after Ford’s early exit and it coincided with an upswing in their fortunes. Cometh the hour, cometh the man: Burns keeping his cool to slot the championship dropgoal in the 79th minute. That’s why tens earns the big bucks and Burns wasn’t found wanting.
23 MATT SCOTT – 6
Possibly unlucky that his shoulder stop on Vunipola caught picked up by the cameras. It allowed Saracens to level the score and meant they were left to defend with 13 players with four minutes left on the clock.
additional reporting PA
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.
27 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?
27 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.
27 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