‘WE WON FOR THE YOUNGS’
Tigers tribute to ex-skipper’s wife and family
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BY ADAM HATHAWAY GEORGE FORD guided Tigers into their first Premiership final for nine years – then dedicated the win to the stricken Youngs family.
Ford scored 22 points, including a brilliant try, breaking from the Saints 22, as Leicester made the HQ showpiece for the first time since 2013.
The fly-half also made the try that put the game to bed as he fed England full-back Freddie Steward to score in the corner.
But the win was set against the backdrop of the death this week of Tiffany Youngs, the wife of former skipper Tom, after battling cancer.
Tom’s younger brother Ben started this game despite the tragedy and joined a minute’s applause for his sister-in-law.
Ford said: “Some things are bigger than rugby and what
Leicester Northampton
the Youngs family have been through, nobody can ever imagine, to be honest. That effort today, from everyone here at Welford Road, was for the Youngs family. What a family they are. Tom’s up there with [daughter] Maisie. What a person he is. It’s the same with Ben. That, today, was for them.”
Steward played most of the game on the wing after a backline reshuffle forced by an early injury to centre Dan Kelly but was in the right place at the right time on 69 minutes.
That set up a finale between Steve Borthwick’s (inset) Tigers, and his former team Saracens. It is a far cry from two years ago when Tigers would have been relegated if Saracens had not beaten them to it by cheating the salary cap. Ford added: “Not too long ago we were at the bottom of the league fighting relegation. It’s a credit to
Steve, his coaching staff and everyone at the club.”
The teams were level at 3-3 after half an hour but Saints had already wasted three glaring chances with wing
Courtnall Skosan having a half to forget. All three of the misses were down to blunders by the South African who racked up a hat-trick of knock-ons and dropped passes which, if they had stuck, would have put Saints in the driving seat. They went in at halftime 6-6 with Ford and Dan Biggar swapping penalties and with Tigers a man down after wing Guy Porter was binned for a high shot on centre Rory
Hutchinson. Biggar limped off with 30 minutes left but James Grayson, his replacement, put Saints 14-13 up before Steward’s score. Ford’s drop goal then nailed the match to set up the trip to Twickenham. LEICESTER:
NORTHAMPTON: