Saracens have been the dominant force in English rugby for the past decade. Credit: Getty Images/David Rogers
With all due respect to the efforts of Sale and Saracens, it is probably only right that the Gallagher Premiership final be contested between the top two teams in the league.
There is nothing wrong with the play-off system and all the teams have agreed to it. Perhaps it is just a generational thing; I have a fairly traditionalist view of it. Fortunately, Northampton and Bath also happen to be the top two teams in this year's competition.
The results of both semi-finals hint at devilishly close games. They were indeed tense until the end, but while this was due to the tenacity of both losing teams, equally the winners did not put them off when they were decisively on top. From the point of view of a neutral party, and I assume this includes the broadcaster TNT, the fact that the final will feature two of the brightest attacking teams in the league is also a bonus. The experts are very hesitant to name a favorite in the final.
In semi-finals it's always more interesting to study a loss than a win, and that happened again last weekend. You could write a script for each winner's representative before the game: «We're thrilled with the win, but we know it won't mean anything if we don't back it up in the final.» This was the case, almost word for word, from Saints' Courtney Lawes and Bath's Finn Russell.
A study of the reactions of some of the losing players suggests a bit more of a «We're gutted» scenario than usual. Perhaps this is because players like George Ford and Owen Farrell have a more balanced and experienced view of the game. Both emphasized the fact that they felt their sides had not done enough to give them the best chance of winning, and I suspect they knew the results were fair, no matter how much they may have wished otherwise.
Seasoned observers sensed a changing of the guard at Franklin Gardens; relative newcomers Northampton defeat Premier League aristocrats Saracens. It truly is the end of an era for Sarri fans as Farrell and the three Vunipola, Billy, Mako and Manu have all left Saracens this season.
Mako Vunipola — along with his two brothers — is leaving Saracens. Photo: Getty Images/Mark Atkins
It is never easy to leave a club you have been with since you were formed, especially one that has had as much success as Saracens. Although fans of other teams still raise questions about financial doping, this should be consigned to history. The club has been punished and we must move on, especially when you look at what these players have brought not only to Saracens but to English rugby.
Few players get to leave a club exactly when they want to, and to their credit, Farrell and Billy Vunipola remained on the pitch after the game, signing autographs and willing to do TV interviews despite their obvious disappointment. I remember my last game for Nottingham when I moved to Harlequins. I could barely speak due to the mixed feelings of regret and loss, and this was after the game when we beat Gloucester and denied them the league title that year.
Farrell has been a vehicle for criticism from opposition fans at club and international level for much of his career. A lot of it is just a simple dislike of an opposing player who people know is effective and a threat. This is partly due to his quiet nature and abrasive northernness, but no one should underestimate his seminal contribution to Saracens and England.
While we will hear more from Farrell when he moves to Racing 92, it is appropriate to acknowledge his departure from the English rugby scene and thank him for his efforts over many seasons. I've always been critical of his choice as England's centre-half, but that's only because I think the 'two playmakers' tactic is an exaggeration and not nearly as effective as claimed. I have never doubted Farrell's fighting spirit and his outstanding ability as a reliable and extremely effective number 10.
As Saracens fans contemplate the future, they know that their club is constantly producing emerging talent and that the team the future promises greater success. They can only hope the end of this era doesn't foreshadow what happened to one of this year's finalists. Bath are hoping for the club's first Premier League title in 28 years and there is a whole generation of their fans who have never known their super-hegemonic years at the pinnacle of English rugby. I don't think Sarris will suffer that fate, but it should serve as a warning of what can happen to even the most powerful.
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