Northampton Saints have named captain Dylan Hartley among their replacements for Saturday’s Premiership final against Saracens at Twickenham.
But the hooker’s England team-mate Mako Vunipola is missing for Sarries having had surgery on a dislocated patella.
Saints are aiming for their first-ever Premiership title, after losing to rivals Leicester in last year’s final.
bbc
“We’ve learned some serious lessons over the last few years,” Northampton’s stand-in skipper Tom Wood said.
“We’ve always had the determination but our direction has improved.”
“Saracens have always got a plan. They’re incredibly organised. We’ve found in the past that if you can disrupt that you stand a chance.”
“But if you carry into their strengths and overplay in your half you’re in for a long day.”
Sarries, who were beaten by Toulon in the Heineken Cup final last week, bring in Richard Barrington in place of Vunipola at loose-head prop, while scrum-half Neil de Kock rotates with Richard Wigglesworth to start the game at number nine.
Retiring lock Steve Borthwick will lead the side out for the last time, for a record 265th Premiership appearance.
“Everybody reacts to things in their own individual way,” Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said of their loss to Toulon.
“The objective is that by Saturday we have a powerful collective response.”
“Our group is very good at moving on and responding to setbacks.”
“We have had a magnificent season. We had a disappointment last Saturday, albeit I was proud of the performances.”
“You don’t want to pigeonhole Northampton as they are a much more rounded team.”
“Their set-piece remains very strong, they have added to their attacking game and have some pretty good athletes in their back line.”
“Before Saturday we had huge momentum. We are not too damaged by what happened.”
Northampton, who beat Tigers at the semi-final stage a fortnight ago, also make a change at scrum-half, with Kahn Fotuali’i preferred ahead of England international Lee Dickson.
Salesi Ma’afu returns to the front row after serving a one-week ban for landing a punch on Leicester hooker Tom Youngs in that 21-20 victory.
Hartley, meanwhile, is back on the bench having not featured for the first team since injuring his shoulder at the end of March.
The 28-year-old was sent off in last season’s Premiership final for swearing at referee Wayne Barnes and calling him a “cheat”.
Less than 24 hours before Saracens suffered defeat at the Millennium Stadium, Northampton ended their four-year wait for a trophy – and a run of four losses in finals – by winning the Amlin Challenge Cup.
“I think to some extent it is a weight lifted off your shoulders,” Wood said.
“We were beaten Heineken Cup finalists and in the Premiership semi-finals (in 2011) and you think you have the world at your feet.”
“Losing that Heineken Cup final, suddenly the doubts start creeping in and you’re staring down the barrel of going home with nothing. I don’t feel like the pressure is on so much.”
“Having a trophy in the cabinet gives us that bit of momentum. It can work against you, because you don’t want any complacency. But I think we can write that off with the team we’ve got.”
Teams
Northampton Saints:
Foden, K. Pisi, G. Pisi, Burrell, North, Myler, Fotuali’i, Corbisiero, Haywood, Ma’afu Manoa, Lawes, Clark, Wood (Captain), Dickinson
Replacements: Hartley, Waller, Mercey, Day, Dowson, Dickson, Wilson, Stephenson.
Saracens:
Goode, Ashton, Bosch, Barritt, Strettle, Farrell, De Kock, Barrington, Brits, Stevens, Borthwick (Captain), Botha, Brown, Burger, B Vunipola
Replacements: George, Gill, Johnston, Hargreaves, Wray, Wigglesworth, Hodgson, Wyles.
Venue: Twickenham
Date: Saturday 31 May
Kick-Off: 15:00 BST, 14:00 GMT, 16:00 SA Time
Latest Saracens 6/0 Northampton
Saracens 9/7 Northampton 46 min
Saracens 9/14 as Myler kicks a good conversion 60th min
Farrell over for try but it looked like a forward pass in the build up
Lucky Saracens with a pass from Goode to no 23 looking forward but TMO says it is a try!
No sorry try not given score still Saracens 9/14 Northampton
Huge defensive effort from Saints as been all out attack from Sarries last few min
Crazy stuff from Owen Farrell who had to limp off after kicking the ball in celebration after he thought he had scored that try VERY unprofessional from him and he may miss England tour to NZ!
72 min gone and Saracens kick a penalty to touch for lineout 5m out
TRY SARACENS! By Marcello Bosch, tied with conversion to come
Sar 14/14 Nor as conversion was missed. 78th min now as Saints get the valuable turnover and kick out to halfway
Skew throw by Brits gives Saints scrum on halfway
Not in straight at scrum by Saints but not blown for as is so often the case
@ Bullscot:
Northampton were lucky not to cencede a penalty at that last scrum
Game goes to extra time as it’s 14 all at the end of normal time!
@ Bullscot:
how tired must saracens be after last weeks final?
Did the saints have last week off?
If still tied after extra time it goes to goal kicking shoot out
@ Bullscot:
if its tied the saints will win because of their two tries to saracens 1
@ MacroBull:
They both shattered Macro as Northampton played in and won the Amlin Challenge final last weekend but it was on Friday so they got one day more rest…
Saracens will need to score two tries to get to the “penalty shootout”
17 all in 9th min extra time. Got to go out, anyone watching please keep posting scores. GO SARACENS!
Saracens 20-17 up with 2 minutes to go
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.
Saints win it. Well done.
A silver lining on a sh1t evening.
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