1
The Tom Youngs message that has 'kind of stuck' with Freddie Burns
Leicester back Freddie Burns says that a Gallagher Premiership title triumph would mean the world to him as his 13th season of professional rugby heads towards a Twickenham finale. The 32-year-old returns to a ground where he marked his Test debut by helping England beat New Zealand in 2012.
ADVERTISEMENT
Now in his second spell with Leicester, Burns has also featured for Gloucester, Bath and Japanese club Toyota Jido Shokki during a much-travelled career. Burns’ versatility as a fly-half and full-back has proved invaluable for Tigers boss Steve Borthwick this season.
He is now set to continue that key bench role on Saturday when Leicester’s first Premiership final appearance for nine years sees them tackling fellow English heavyweights Saracens. “The reason I came back from Japan was that I felt there was a bit of unfinished business,” Burns said.
“It has been a 13/14-year career and I have played in three or four Premiership semi-finals and never made it to the big occasion. To have slogged for as long as I have and to finally get this opportunity and potentially be part of something special is huge.
“It would mean everything. I can’t express how much I want it. Even talking about it, I feel the emotion. It would mean the world to me, to Leicester as a city and Leicester as a club. It is so difficult to reach a final. I remember speaking with Tom Youngs when I first signed at Leicester and the way he described it was that one team succeeds and eleven fail,” continued Burns.
“This year it’s 13 teams in the Premiership and twelve fail and that kind of stuck with me. No one really remembers who comes second. You are proud of the accomplishment of reaching a final, but it kind of counts for nothing unless we go and win the thing on Saturday. It has been a good season for us to reach a final in the manner that we have, but at the same time we are desperate to win something, and if aren’t winning it on Saturday then we will feel like we have fallen short.”
Leicester won eight Premiership titles between 1999 and 2013, a remarkable record that included four on the bounce, but sides like Saracens and Exeter have subsequently dominated the domestic scene, while Leicester were only spared relegation two years ago when Saracens were demoted following repeated salary cap breaches.
ADVERTISEMENT
Borthwick has transformed Tigers, though, since he arrived in the east midlands ahead of the 2020/21 season. So much so, that Leicester won all twelve of their Premiership home games this term, went top on the campaign’s opening weekend last September and stayed there for nine months.
“For us as a squad, I’ve just been proud of the fight we have shown all year,” Burns added. “We got lucky a little bit early in the season, but it came from staying in the fight. I have played in a team of fighters that scrap for everything and look after each other, and I couldn’t be prouder of that.
“A lot of credit has to go to Steve and the coaching staff and what they have instilled in the boys, but again, it’s the fact that we hang in there and are a tough team to play against. If you are in the fight, then things can happen. It’s not about flashy skill-sets or anything like that, it is about working hard for your mates.
“I know the beauty of the Premiership is a team can sneak into fourth place and still go and win it, but I think you are getting the two best teams consistently over the season playing each other on Saturday, which should make for a great game.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Comments on RugbyPass
I’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
4 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
6 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
11 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
11 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
4 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to comments