Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
NZ NZ

'That effort today, from everyone here at Welford Road, was for the Youngs'

By PA
Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints – Gallagher Premiership – Play Off – Semi Final – Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium

George Ford dedicated Leicester’s gripping Gallagher Premiership play-off victory over Northampton to the Youngs family after Tigers ended a nine-year Twickenham wait.

ADVERTISEMENT

A minute’s applause took place before kick-off at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in memory of Tiffany Youngs, who died earlier this week.

Her husband Tom retired in April following a career that saw him captain the Tigers and make more than 200 first-team appearances, while Tom’s brother – England scrum-half Ben Youngs – started the 27-14 win.

Video Spacer

Castres Action Hero Tom Staniforth | Le Frecnh Rugby Podcast | Episode 33

After a frenetic final weekend in the Top 14 regular season, we catch up with one of the key men from surprise table-toppers Castres and the top tackler in the Top 14 this season. Australian second row Tom Staniforth fills us in on his journey from Canberra to Castres, the family environment at the club, how a bunch of battlers go about beating off competition from a host of teams with much bigger budgets over 26 rounds and gives us an insight into what makes a club that often goes under the radar so special. There’s also a look into everything that happened on the final day, a look ahead to the Barrages and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week…
Use the code FRENCHPOD20 at checkout for 20% off any full price item at Meater.com

Video Spacer

Castres Action Hero Tom Staniforth | Le Frecnh Rugby Podcast | Episode 33

After a frenetic final weekend in the Top 14 regular season, we catch up with one of the key men from surprise table-toppers Castres and the top tackler in the Top 14 this season. Australian second row Tom Staniforth fills us in on his journey from Canberra to Castres, the family environment at the club, how a bunch of battlers go about beating off competition from a host of teams with much bigger budgets over 26 rounds and gives us an insight into what makes a club that often goes under the radar so special. There’s also a look into everything that happened on the final day, a look ahead to the Barrages and we pick our MEATER Moment of the Week…
Use the code FRENCHPOD20 at checkout for 20% off any full price item at Meater.com

Leicester, league table-toppers after the regular season, extended their unbeaten Premiership home record to more than a year and will face Saracens in next Saturday’s final, chasing a ninth title.

Ford scored 22 points from a try, conversion, drop-goal and four penalties, and he created a second-half touchdown for Freddie Steward on his final Leicester home appearance before joining Sale later this summer.

“Some things are bigger than rugby, and what the Youngs family have been through, nobody can ever imagine, to be honest,” Ford told BT Sport.

“That effort today, from everyone here at Welford Road, was for the Youngs family. What a family they are. Tom is up there with (daughter) Maisie. What a person he is. It’s the same with Ben. That, today, was for them.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Saints replied through a Tommy Freeman touchdown, with Dan Biggar kicking two penalties and James Grayson one, but Wales international Biggar went off early in the second period after appearing to suffer a knock.

Northampton led 14-13 with 17 minutes left, yet it was ultimately Leicester’s day, setting up a pulsating final between England’s two top clubs.

Ford added: “Not too long ago we were at the bottom of the league, fighting relegation. It’s a credit to Steve (Leicester head coach Steve Borthwick), his coaching staff and everyone at the club. We’ve worked hard and got ourselves in a position to do something special next week.

“What a place, what a club, what a set of people. I’ve been here eight years in two stints and loved every second of it – the highs and the lows. You won’t find a more traditional rugby club. I will miss it greatly, but we’ve got a job to do next week.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Leicester finished 11th in the Premiership two years ago, only avoiding relegation because Saracens were demoted following repeated salary cap breaches.

But they will now chase a first Premiership crown since defeating Northampton 37-17 in the 2013 final.

Borthwick said: “It wasn’t pretty from us, but the guys worked their way through it against a top side, who have been in really good form of late. George (Ford) has been excellent all season, I can’t praise him highly enough. You just see him play a game of 80 minutes, while I am able to see his influence on the squad throughout the week.”

There was no fairytale finish for Northampton rugby director Chris Boyd, who leaves his post this summer, although he will make occasional trips back to Franklin’s Gardens from New Zealand as a consultant.

Boyd said: “There is disappointment that we didn’t advance to Twickenham, and disappointment that we created probably four opportunities in the first 55 minutes. If we had converted two of them, we might have been able to force Tigers to go away from their game-plan.

“They haven’t had to chase a lot of games this season, and we wanted to build a lead. We created plenty, but we didn’t finish off. 27-14 is a little bit cruel, but credit to them – they were mostly relentless.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Join free

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | Episode 6

Sam Warburton | The Big Jim Show | Full Episode

Japan Rugby League One | Sungoliath v Eagles | Full Match Replay

Japan Rugby League One | Spears v Wild Knights | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 10 | Six Nations Final Round Review

Aotearoa Rugby Podcast | How can New Zealand rugby beat this Ireland team

Beyond 80 | Episode 5

Rugby Europe Men's Championship Final | Georgia v Portugal | Full Match Replay

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

A
Adrian 1 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

11 Go to comments
T
Trevor 4 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 8 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Louis Rees-Zammit signs for Roc Nation ahead of his Kansas visit Louis Rees-Zammit signs for Roc Nation ahead of his Kansas visit
Search