Last-minute Burns drop goal wins Premiership title for Leicester

LONDON: Replacement flyhalf Freddie Burns landed a last-minute drop goal to give Leicester their first English Premiership rugby title for nine years as they overcame a dogged Saracens 15-12 at Twickenham on Saturday (Jun 18).

First-half tries by South African forwards Hanro Liebenberg and Jasper Wiese had Leicester 12-6 up at the break but Saracens defended superbly for much of the second half before two Owen Farrell penalties brought them level after 75 minutes.

Leicester drove forward, however, and Burns, who was introduced as a 23rd-minute replacement for George Ford - having also come off the bench a few minutes into the semi-final - landed the drop goal, his first of the season.

It sparked wild celebrations from the massed ranks of Leicester fans, previously so used to Twickenham glory as they reached nine successive finals but starved of it since their last success in 2013.

It also marked an impressive turnaround under coach Steve Borthwick after they finished second-last in 2019 and 2020 - avoiding relegation only due to Saracens' point deduction punishment for salary cap breaches.

They led the standings from the first week to the last this year and were deserved victors on Saturday, having made most of the running against a Saracens team hoping to win the title in their first season back in the top flight.

As widely predicted it was a tight game, but it opened up midway through the first half when Saracens scrumhalf Aled Davies was yellow carded for a high hit on Julian Montoya, and Leicester took full advantage, scoring two tries while he was off the pitch.

First Freddie Steward and Chris Ashton combined to make ground for Liebenberg to squeeze over and then a tap and go by Leicester prop and captain Ellis Genge