FORD FINALE
Talisman No 10 inspires Tigers on emotional day to set up a...
GEORGE FORD ensured he will get one more game in a Leicester shirt as he drove them to a first final since 2013 but admitted a death in the Tigers family put it all into context.
Both teams paid tribute to the wife of former Leicester captain Tom Youngs, Tiffany, who died this week from cancer, with a minute’s applause before the game.
Tom, who retired from playing to care for his wife earlier this season, was in the crowd with daughter Maisie as his old team reached a Twickenham final against Saracens.
Tom’s younger brother, scrum-half Ben, who sacrificed a Lions tour in 2017 to support his family, started the game and managed 50 minutes before he was replaced.
‘Some things are bigger than rugby and what the Youngs family have been through, nobody can ever imagine,’ said Ford.
‘That effort today, from everyone here at Welford Road, was for the Youngs family. What a family they are. Tom’s up there with Maisie. What a person he is. It’s the same with Ben. That, today, was for them.’
Tom and Maisie Youngs visited the Leicester dressing room after the match as the Tigers toasted a win that gives them a showpiece next week to show what improvement they have made in the last two years.
Ford is moving to Sale next season but finished his last game at Welford Road on a high and with a chance to win something before signing off at the club.
The fly-half scored 22 points, including a scintillating try, to show Eddie Jones he is not done yet — and neither are Leicester.
Freddie Steward spent most of the game on the wing after a reshuffle following an early injury to centre Dan Kelly and popped up when it mattered most after 69 minutes. Ford put him away after a huge carry from Ellis Genge, another leaving the club at the end of the season, but it was not done yet.
Ford’s drop goal three minutes from time sealed the trip to HQ and his fourth penalty added garnish. But Saints could point to at least three wasted chances that could have seen wing Courtnall Skosan have a hat-trick by the break. Instead, it is Leicester who will face Saracens next Saturday.
‘There is frustration because we created opportunities,’ said Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd. ‘If we had converted them we might have forced them away from their game plan. They haven’t had to chase a lot of games this season. We created plenty, but we didn’t finish off. 27-14 is cruel, but credit to them — they were mostly relentless.’
The Boyd era also came to a close after four years at Franklin’s Gardens, but he will remain a consultant. ‘We haven’t achieved anything yet,’ he added. ‘At some point, you have to transition from being a development club into a performance club. There are enough good people, the best is yet to come.’
A pulsating East Midlands showdown caught fire in the second half when England hopeful Tommy Freeman gave Saints an 11-6 lead with 47 minutes gone.
Ford replied with a spectacular break to dot under the posts for a one-point lead but James Grayson, on for the injured Dan Biggar for the last half an hour, nicked back the advantage.
Ford regained the lead before Saints went a man down. The England No 10 then took a grip on the game, making the Steward try and dropping a goal. His penalty sealed the deal and the two best teams in the league, Tigers and Saracens, were last men standing.
THE final of this year’s United Rugby Championship will be an all-South African affair, after late drama saw the Stormers defeat Ulster 17-15 thanks to an 85th-minute Warrick Gelant try. Manie Libbok struck a nerveless conversion to secure a meeting with the Bulls in next weekend’s showpiece.