Burns helps fire brave Tigers to stunning victory
FREDDIE BURNS delivered a drop of magic to crown Leicester champions of England and spark scenes of high emotion at Twickenham. Twenty-one seconds from the end of a pulsating contest, the former England fly-half struck to break the deadlock and give England’s biggest club its first Premiership title for nine years.
“I can’t believe it, I genuinely can’t,” said Burns, who was only on the pitch because George Ford had crocked his ankle. “I thought moments like this weren’t made for me. It’s been a long career. I’ve come close on a few occasions in semis. You start thinking it’s slipping away.” Tears were already flowing before Tom Youngs appeared on the pitch, just a week after losing his wife Tiff to cancer. Leicester captain Ellis Genge beckoned over his predecessor and together the pair lifted the trophy to the delight of Tigers’ army of travelling fans. There were heroes all over the pitch for the Midlanders, who were heavy underdogs, despite easily winning the regular season. None more so than Richard Wigglesworth, who at 39 won his seventh title with his third different club. “This year in big games we’ve not turned up and fired a shot,” he said. “We were determined to come out firing and leave it all out there. We did that.”
When Ford departed the stage on 23 minutes, with Saracens ahead and Leicester out of sorts, you would not have given them a chance.
Owen Farrell had kicked Sarries in front and Leicester’s morale had not recovered from being done on their first scrum by Vincent Koch.
But the turning point came with Ford barely off the pitch. Hooker Julian Montoya charged into contact, Aled Davies met him with a left shoulder to the head and the Saracens’ scrum-half was sent to the bin.
Freddie Steward then broke the line, Chris Ashton ploughed on and Hanro Liebenberg finished the job.
Elliot Daly pegged back three from long range but in open play Tigers remained on the front foot.
Another scrum and this time Leicester were ready. Wigglesworth eased into position and waited for Jasper Wiese to come round the corner and plough over.
A third try would have broken the game open.
Instead, as Tigers tired, Farrell kicked Saracens level and, when Matt Scott was sin-binned, the game looked theirs for the taking.
But Tigers legend Burns had other ideas.