Borthwick’s Leicester stand in way of Saracens’ sweetest Premiership title

Last weekend’s Premiership semi-finals put a full stop on the story of the underdog. Over the last few weeks we’ve seen La Rochelle, Lyon and the Bulls all upset the odds but with Saracens and Leicester reaching Saturday’s Premiership final we have a showdown between the two most consistent sides in the league this season.

Neutrals may have preferred a final between Harlequins and Northampton but the fact that Saracens and Leicester prevailed signals a shift away from last season, when playing to space and evasion were key, and back to the key fundamentals of physicality, control and territory. Both finalists have those qualities in abundance and though the weather forecast keeps changing, I really don’t think heavy rain would suit one team more than the other. They are that similar in outlook – even if it may mean even more kicking from hand than already anticipated.

What sets these two sides apart from the rest is they have an acute awareness of the importance of maintaining tactical discipline throughout matches. It is such a difficult craft to master and it is so undervalued. Whether it’s the coaches or the players driving that, or a mixture of both, it is a key reason why Leicester and Saracens have got as far as they have.

For both sides it has been a two-year journey to get here and it is important to recognise the speed with which Steve Borthwick has turned things around at Leicester. Clearly, he began his coaching journey while still a player at Saracens and so it is no surprise that his Leicester side is built in that mould. The core principles of Leicester under Borthwick are a strong set piece, strong defence and strong kicking game. They are all things that people admire about Saracens. That’s no