Wigglesworth’s selection was a masterstroke by Borthwick
Tigers writer John Wiffen picks out five things we learned as Tigers claimed an 11th Premiership title...
Test-level back row
Based on the performance of the 6-7-8 combination of Hanro Liebenberg, Tommy Reffell and Jasper Wiese at HQ, it is astounding that there are only eight caps between them, all of which belong to Wiese.
Liebenberg has been the first name on the team sheet ever since Steve Borthwick arrived at Leicester, and again he proved why.
His work-rate was off the charts, hitting rucks and tackles alike for 80 minutes, before looking ready to do it all over again if his head coach asked him to.
Reffell is the perfect modernday openside flanker, a huge jackalling threat, supreme chop tackler and superb engine to hit rucks.
His call-up to the Welsh squad is as overdue as anyone in the Premiership this season, and he looks ready to explode on to the international scene. His two key turnovers could well have been match-defining.
Finally, you have Wiese, the wrecking ball, who has turned into so much more than that this season.
No-one is more important to the pack at Tigers than him, in defence and attack, and he was immense in both areas up against Billy Vunipola.
Wigglesworth call correct
There was a fair amount of consternation among fans and pundits alike with the starting berth given to Richard Wigglesworth over England men’s record cap holder Ben Youngs and rising star Jack van Poortvliet.
However, as before this season, Borthwick showed exactly why he is the boss.
It was a masterstroke as Wigglesworth proved again why he is the best box-kicking nine in the country, even at the age of 39.
It was that kicking that forced Saracens back time and time again, with Wigglesworth and Freddie Steward absorbing the shots from Sarries and sending back their own aerial bombs with interest. It is not an exaggeration to say that had Wigglesworth been playing in black on Saturday afternoon, the trophy could have remained in London.
The seven-time Premiership winner proved he has plenty left in the tank, and with van Poortvliet’s call-up to tour Australia with England, the Leicester scrumhalf shirt seems to be in good hands for years to come.
Jackalling the key
It is not a shock to anyone that watched Saracens’ recent defeat to Toulon in the Challenge Cup that Tigers went hard at the breakdown in this final.
The threats of Charles Ollivon, Gabin Villiere and Cornell du Preez were too much for the English side in the Stade Felix Mayol that evening, and Borthwick, right, took note.
It has been a long time since Saracens were at the top of English rugby, and they have always been labelled as a team that is reliant on its defence. In recent years, though, their attack has come on leaps and bounds, but Toulon found a foil, and Borthwick’s men capitalised on that.
Julian Montoya and Reffell (among a lot of others) made every ruck a contest, forcing the men in black to put more and more men into that area which cost them options in the next phase.
Mako Vunipola and Ben Earl, two carrying options that can break the gain-line, were often caught up in rucks having to clear out, giving Owen Farrell less options ballin-hand.
I have not even referenced the key turnovers on the floor yet, with both Montoya and Reffell stealing possession when Tigers were in retreat and on red alert. This point must be caveated, because as good as you are over the ball, it is a subjective area, and you need the rub of the green from the man with the whistle.
Earl in particular didn’t get that, costing him three good opportunities. He was on the wrong side of a 50-50 decision before Liebenberg’s try in particular.
Lineout masterclass
In tight finals, set-pieces need to be near perfect, to retain your ball and put pressure on the opposition.
For that reason, Leicester’s lineouts seemed to be a key battleground prior to kick-off.
The stealing threats of Theo McFarland and Maro Itoje were always going to be there.
Nick Isiekwe was even added to the line-up at the expense of Tim Swinson after his impact in lineouts in the semi-final.
With a lineout packed with defensive might as Saracens was, it looked like there was going to be a repeat of Tigers’ lineout struggles in their previous biggest game this season, the Champions Cup tie with Leinster.
That day the Irish team – and in particular Ross Molony – created havoc.
However, those issues have been sorted out, and the lineout, called by Calum Green with the excellent jumping of Liebenberg and Ollie Chessum, stood tall.
Fifteen out of 16 lineouts were successful, giving the platform needed to move up field and alleviate pressure.
Burns the man
Freddie Burns has had an odd career.
After arriving at Mattioli Woods Welford Road in 2014, it looked like it would be his chance to win trophies at the biggest club in the land.
However, the opportunity never really materialised.
In 2017, despite being a fans’ favourite, he was ushered to leave for Bath, with George Ford making the opposite move.
That spell at Bath, in which he never cemented himself in the team, preceeded a spell in Japan with Shokki Shuttles.
Burns’ career at the top level looked finished.
However, a call with Borthwick in early 2021 convinced him to return to the Gallagher Premiership, citing unfinished business as his reason for returning.
This season he has been excellent when called upon, whether at fly-half or full-back, and has been consistently praised by Borthwick for his impact in the dressing room.
Burns couldn’t have expected the season to end as it did on Saturday though.
In the 79th minute, his old mate Ben Youngs threw a 10m pass to the former Gloucester man in the pocket, and it was the moment he had dreamed of since he was a little boy.
The chance to be the matchwinner in the Premiership final at Twickenham.
Burns seized it with both hands, perfectly bisecting the uprights, despite saying afterwards that the kick looked like a “dead duck”!
Even as he ran back, the pure delight was mixed with concentration as he realised that there would be one more restart to diffuse.
Burns will forever be remembered in Leicester Tigers and Premiership history as the man who won perhaps the tensest final of all time.
He is a charming and funny man who deserves his moment in the sun.