There have been some enticing Premiership finals but few with a greater stylistic contrast than Twickenham will stage this Saturday. In the blue corner will be Bath’s irresistible attack, opposite the immovable object that is Saracens’ illustrious “wolf-pack” defence. On this scintillating evidence it is Sarries who should be the more concerned in the buildup.
It was not only the seven tries Bath scored against a Leicester side who endured a razor-sharp lesson in top-class finishing. Even more ominous was the rising self-belief it has given Mike Ford’s team before their first grand final since 2004. All season they have been granted a licence to thrill and it is not about to be withdrawn for the big occasion.
Rising above the constricting fear of failure will remain at the core of Bath’s philosophy, as neatly summarised by their big wing Matt Banahan: “The coaches have given every player belief in what we can do. A lot of teams will only attack from the halfway line but we can attack from our own five-metre line. There’s nothing we’re doing out there that’s risky. We’re just doing basic things well.”
Ford and his staff deserve serious credit for what is unfolding. Although Banahan scored a hat-trick of glorious tries, the key statistic was that Bath registered seven tries in eight visits to Leicester’s 22 despite enjoying only 35% possession and 29% territory. “It’s about having the courage to play when they kick the ball to you,” Ford said. “Seventy-five per cent of our training is from there.
“Saracens will know what’s coming. They’re an excellent kick-chase side who challenge the ruck and if you play at the wrong time they’ll turn you over. Owen [Farrell] will kick his goals and they’ve got a couple of fantastic wingers but at the same time I’d be devastated if we don’t take opportunities when they’re on. We make our decision on attack on what the defence do. If Saracens have 13 or 14 in the front line we’ll kick it, if they haven’t we’ll probably run it. It’s quite simple really.”
Previous experience has also taught Ford not to be too cute in a final week. “A long time ago I got Oldham RL to a grand final and changed things training-wise. I’ve learned my lesson. We kicked the ball away too much in the first 20 minutes of the second half but otherwise we won’t change anything. Sam [Burgess] said that two years ago with South Sydney they got it wrong [in the play-offs] by training too long. This year, when they won it, they kept training short and intense. That’s what we’ve been doing.”
As well as wondering aloud how both finalists’ squads fit inside the existing salary cap, neutrals will have another opportunity to judge whether the outstanding George Ford, Kyle Eastmond and Jonathan Joseph are the best midfield trio available to England. Ford Sr needs no convincing. “People tell me they’re too small or haven’t got the power but you could pick a powerful winger and let him be the back-line crusher? Or go to six-man lineouts? You have to play a gameplan that suits them.”
At least Leicester were forewarned about this Tiger trap, having lost 45-0 on the same ground in September. Five missed penalties and another broken ankle for the luckless Niall Morris did not help but, despite briefly being reduced to 13 men, Bath’s fluency of movement, with Anthony Watson in electric mood, was from a different galaxy.
Richard Cockerill, the Tigers’ director of rugby, acknowledged Leicester needed to “improve and evolve” but insisted they would bounce back next season even without the departing Geoff Parling, Julian Salvi, Jamie Gibson, Brad Thorn and, possibly, Mathew Tait. Bayonne’s Top 14 relegation is complicating the centre’s move to France; if he wants to guarantee himself an exciting future he should give Bath a call instead.
Bath Watson; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Eastmond (Devoto, 68), Banahan; Ford, Stringer (Cook, 72); James (Auterac, 45), Batty (Webber, 53), Wilson (Thomas, 48), Hooper (capt; Day, 52), Attwood, Burgess (Garvey, 55), Louw, Houston (Fearns, 57).
Tries Banahan 3, Eastmond, Stringer, Ford, Watson. Cons Ford 6.
Sin-bin Watson 33, Houston 35.
Leicester Morris (Bell, 43); Thompstone, Tait (Catchpole, 67), Loamanu, Goneva; Burns, B Youngs (capt; Harrison, 60); Ayerza (Rizzo, 70), T Youngs (Briggs, 69), Cole (Balmain, 70), Thorn, Kitchener (De Chaves, 70), Slater, Salvi, Crane (Gibson, 54).
Try T Youngs. Con Burns. Pen Burns.
Referee JP Doyle (RFU). Attendance 13,349.