The Big One - Aviva Premiership Final 2014 Preview

And then there were two... I’m sure that many of you are also struggling to understand how time can have flown by so quickly that we are now approaching the Aviva Premiership Final, it seems like yesterday that we were celebrating the start of the season on Friday 16th September at Kingston Park and now there are just 80 minutes of action left. This year's competition has been tighter than ever before, however two teams have successfully navigated their way to Twickenham and now have a shot at glory. 

Before the weekend’s European action, if I'm honest with you all I thought that there was little to nothing separating the two finalists, I struggled in vain to pull them apart and swayed back and forth trying to work out which would end the 80 minutes victorious. However now, after two mighty European fixtures, I think that there might just be a marginal leader in the race for the Aviva Premiership Title; the Northampton Saints. Why? I hear you cry... well they are riding a huge wave of momentum and confidence following their European victory over Bath and Saracens face the daunting task of mending their wounds after being battered, physically and emotionally, by Toulon. In my eyes this gives Saints a very small, but key head start in the race for the Aviva Premiership Title. 

Image Claire Jones (C) Red Hat Photography

Northampton’s memories of Twickenham and Aviva Premiership Finals are not great ones... the phrase always the bridesmaid and never the bride is the most appropriate to describe their ‘love affair’ with the match however this year you get the feeling that it could be time for them to say ‘I do’ and lift that trophy. Saints’ focus should be on their own game, over 22 rounds they have developed a delicious blend of stifling defense and blistering attack; their physicality has only been eclipsed by their title rivals. The man that has led proceedings has been the inspired Stephen Myler who has had the season of his life and he will play a central role in how Saturday afternoon's match pans out. Saints are a different team to the one that ran out against Tigers in last year’s Final, whilst many of their personnel may be the same, they have matured, individually and collectively and will run out at HQ on Saturday afternoon composed and ready for it to be their time. 

From Round 1 of the Aviva Premiership Saracens have been the form team, they have bulldozed over many a Premiership side with ease and at times have looked unstoppable, however as mentioned the impact of such a bruising European encounter could take its toll. Don't get me wrong I am not completely writing Saracens off, I'm simply saying that they have quite a large mountain to climb but if any team can do that then it is Saracens. Mark McCall’s side now play exciting rugby and that has won over many Premiership fans, David Strettle has scored 12 tries in 16 games and is just one part of an electric backline. Owen Farrell has been confirmed as being fit after he stepped on a TV cable and rolled his ankle before the Heineken Cup Final and his performance, like Stephen Myler’s, will be critical to his side’s success. Saracens' Wolfpack are devastating and always mean business, the forward battle will be scintillating as both packs have led the way this season in terms of their set piece proficiency and dominance at the breakdown. The final consideration for Saracens should be the ‘Steve Borthwick factor’, as we all know this Saturday’s match will be Steve’s last ever professional game and every single Saracens player will want to give him the send off that he deserves. 

Saints have their noses in front going into the match however Saracens have the ability to produce 80 minutes of brilliance at the drop of a hat and I believe that I am finishing this article where I started it, on the fence as to which side will end the match victorious and be crowned the Aviva Premiership Champions. However there is one thing that I am certain of and that is that it will be an incredible match, befitting of such an outstanding season of domestic rugby. So, for the last time let's prepare ourselves for the weekend's Aviva Premiership action! 


Northampton Saints Photos © Claire Jones RedHatPhoto.com all proceeds supporting Restart, the rugby players' charity