So here we are on Aviva Premiership final day and just two remain. After 134 matches and more twists and turns than any of us expected Saracens and Exeter are gearing up to write the final chapter in the 2015/16 season.
It’s fair to say at the start of the season not all would have predicted Exeter Chiefs being in the season finale, Saracens perhaps, but if we're truly honest not Rob Baxter's Chiefs. However over the course of the seven months they've delighted us all and proved themselves to be worthy finalists.
The Chiefs’ progression since gaining promotion to the Aviva Premiership is the blueprint that any side in the world should follow, regardless of sport, in order to achieve success. Six years on from promotion they've a shot at taking the title and that comes down to a number of key factors. First, the solid ownership of Tony Rowe and his ability to trust Rob Baxter and let him get on with his job. Second the brilliance of their Director of Rugby himself. Rob’s man management skills are first-class and get the very best out of his players. His astute rugby brain develops their game plan and his ability to bring in the right players means that the Chiefs have flourished. Finally of course credit must be handed to the players themselves and their hard work. Exeter's players, like Saracens', work immensly hard for each other, know their roles within the unit and all have developed outstanding footballing skills.
Last season Exeter were unlucky to miss out on the playoffs and it frustrated them. This time around they ensure that they made it all the way through to the knockouts by showing the composure and edge that they needed in order to win the 'banana skin' matches as well as the big games. Sandy Park is their fortress and today their fans must make Twickenham sound just as loud and intimidating for Saracens.
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From the Chiefs' outstanding driving maul to their dynamic backs Exeter have honed in on a first-class all around game and they have to bring it all to Twickenham. Gareth Steenson has been brilliant and a huge amount of responsibility falls on his shoulders today both from a leadership point of view and in terms of gaining the field position to work from. Exeter cannot allow themselves to fall into the traps that Saracens will lay for them, they have to play rugby but they have to do so in the right areas of the field and crucially remain ice cool in the face of their first ever Premiership final.
Lining up against the Exeter Chiefs are the European Champions, the season professionals when it comes to Premiership finals and the side that have taken their own game to a new level over the last few months.
As the season has progressed Saracens have become even more ruthless with every round played. The side know their own game plan, and how to win matches, better than any other team in Europe and nine times out of ten they force opponents into succumbing to their wishes. Defensively they’ve stepped it up another gear and have added plenty to their game going forwards.
Saracens are often criticised that their output isn’t flashy or jazzy enough. But if you think that, have you watched how their capitalise on their opportunities lately? The work of Alex Goode, Premiership Player of the Season, Schalk Brits, Chris Wyles, Chris Ashton and the new box of tricks Owen Farrell is delivering provides plenty to coo over and it’s mightily unfair to continue to stick the boring tag on them.
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The development of this Saracens squad hasn’t happened overnight, like Exeter they’ve stayed together over the years, watched their players develop and grow and this season we’ve seen the fruits of the collective experiences that they’ve banked along the way. This will be their fifth Premiership final in seven years and that goes alongside their outings in the knockout rounds of the Champions Cup and of course this year's winning European final. In short Saracens have done this many times before. They know exactly how finals footy works, they know how to quell the heightened emotions that come with the day and they know how to ride the ebbs and flows of the game. Today this could be vital in pushing them to the first European and domestic double since Wasps back in 2004.
So the question is what can we expect from today’s final? Well in all honesty predicting anything with true conviction ahead of an Aviva Premiership final is always dangerous. Last year would anyone have predicted that Bath wouldn’t fully turn up until half-time? No. The year before would you have predicted the ending that we witnessed between Northampton and Saracens? I think not. Instead I’ll share what I hope will happen.
I hope to see both sides embracing the occasion and really taking it to each other. Saracens’ big game experience is great and we know that they be ready for it but Exeter need to defy their limited experience and excel. I want to see both sides bringing their A games to Twickenham Stadium and showing us all exactly who they are, and what they are made of. The odds are stacked in Saracens' favour but wouldn't it be fantastic to see Exeter embrace the big stage, as they are capable of doing, and from there finish one of the greatest rises to prominence that we've seen in the professional era.
Saracens: 15 Alex Goode 14 Chris Ashton 13 Duncan Taylor 12 Brad Barritt (C) 11 Chris Wyles 10 Owen Farrell 9 Richard Wigglesworth 1 Mako Vunipola 2 Schalk Brits 3 Petrus Du Plessis 4 Maro Itoje 5 George Kruis 6 Michael Rhodes 7 Will Fraser 8 Billy Vunipola Replacements: 16 Jamie George 17 Richard Barrington 18 Juan Figallo 19 Jim Hamilton 20 Jackson Wray 21 Neil De Kock 22 Charlie Hodgson 23 Marcelo Bosch
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman 14 Jack Nowell 13 Henry Slade 12 Ian Whitten 11 Olly Woodburn 10 Gareth Steenson (C) 9 Will Chudley 1 Ben Moon 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie 3 Harry Williams 4 Mitch Lees 5 Geoff Parling 6 Dave Ewers 7 Julian Salvi 8 Don Armand Replacements: 16 Jack Yeandle 17 Alec Hepburn 18 Tomas Francis 19 Damian Welch 20 Kai Horsmann 21 Dave Lewis 22 Michele Campagnaro 23 James Short
