Director of rugby round-table: 'England must stop picking players too soon... they're ruining them'

Before Saturday’s blockbuster Gallagher Premiership semi-finals featuring Saracens v Harlequins followed by Leicester Tigers v Northampton Saints, Telegraph Sport sat down with the four men in charge: Leicester Tigers head coach Steve Borthwick, Northampton Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd, Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall and Harlequins head coach Tabai Matson to hear their thoughts on style, salary cap and suckling pig.

SB: The main thing I have found this season is how competitive every game has been. While I know there have been one or two blowouts, then the following week that team has often bounced back. You have to be on the money every week. I find that really exciting.

CB: I think there is a real comparison here. I have had the privilege of being here for the second time in four years. When we qualified last time in 2019, we had 56 points. That season was dominated by Exeter and Saracens and to a lesser extent Gloucester. This year we have snuck into fourth with 75 points. There is a massive difference. You don’t have to win much more than half of your games to be right in contention for play-offs. It is an incredibly competitive league.

MM: When you have sides the quality of Sale, Exeter, London Irish and Wasps not getting into the top four that tells you the quality of the league. I would agree with Steve that week-to-week challenge has been exciting as it ever has been.

MM: I am sure it probably does for the fans. To be honest, we are just chuffed to be here. This time last year we were playing in the Championship to get up to the Premiership against Ealing. To think that we would be in a Premiership semi-final 12 months later would have seemed far-fetched. We are pleased with the season that we have