Freddie Burns kicks last-minute drop goal as Leicester beat Saracens in pulsating Premiership final
Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Fly-half Freddie Burns came off the bench to deliver a nerveless drop goal with just 22 seconds remaining that downed Saracens and delivered Leicester their first Premiership title in nine years.
Drop goals are so rare that they must be registered as an endangered species, but this was a pertinent reminder of their enduring value. With Leicester driving, Saracens’ defence was bending, but you never sensed it would break. Referees also tend not to award match-deciding penalties in these scenarios.
So Burns, who had replaced the injured Ford after 24 minutes, dropped into the pocket and waited. All manner of thoughts must have raced through his mind. Until now, Burns, one of English rugby’s real good guys, was most associated with botching a try against Toulouse by celebrating prematurely. This time he made no such mistake. After sending the ball sailing through the posts, he screamed at his teammates to get back for the restart, which they just about handled. Redemption was his.
So often it is Saracens who deliver the sucker punch in these circumstances. With five minutes to go, they had drawn level at 12-12 after Matt Scott was sinbinned for a high tackle on Billy Vunipola and Owen Farrell converted the subsequent penalty. The stage was set for another smash-and-grab victory, only this time it was their noses that were bloodied.
Steve Borthwick, the Tigers head coach, did not know where to look at the final whistle. He has delivered a minor miracle with Leicester and must now be considered the front-runner to be Eddie Jones’ successor as England head coach. Just two years ago, Leicester only escaped relegation by virtue of Saracens’ points deduction for salary-cap breaches. At every stage this season, Borthwick has claimed they were ahead of schedule. Now they are champions.
“The players have done incredibly well,” Borthwick said. “They have to handle the emotions in the build-up to a game like this and channel it into a performance on the pitch. I think they did it tremendously well. For the drop goal, the composure to get themselves into a better position was phenomenal.”
As loud as the roar was from the Leicester supporters, who vastly outnumbered the Saracens fans, at full-time, it was even louder when Tom Youngs, whose wife Tiffany recently passed away, appeared on the big screen. At that point, no one could begrudge their victory.
The irony was that Saracens’ fingerprints were all over their own defeat, from Borthwick, who spent six years in north London as a player, to 39-year-old player-coach Richard Wigglesworth, another former Sarrie who executed those kick-chase plans to a tee.
“Everyone knows they have got a phenomenally strong kicking game and they tend to dominate territory and they did again today,” Mark McCall, the Saracens director of rugby, said. “They trapped us in our half for long periods and backed that up with brilliant defensive work. It was very frustrating but a lot of that was their making. We were a bit suffocated today.”
Wigglesworth was magnificent while the likes of Tommy Reffell, Guy Porter and Ollie Chessum played well above their station. Full-back Freddie Steward recovered from a difficult start to help Leicester control the air, with hooker Julian Montoya the most influential figure in the breakdown battle. Leicester scored two close-range tries through Hanro Liebenberg and Jasper Wiese, while Saracens scrum-half Aled Davies was in the sin-bin for a high tackle that could have easily been red.
Leicester spurned numerous opportunities to draw further ahead in the second half as Saracens, inspired by a gargantuan performance from Billy Vunipola, grew ever closer, like the villain in a horror film. Yet it was the unlikely figure of Burns, who has backed up Ford for most of the season but delivered when the pressure was at its greatest.
Despite the drama of the finish, this final was a long way from a classic. Diehards would have appreciated the tactical battle, mainly waged by the boots of the half-backs, but the long bouts of kick-tennis are not going to convert the masses to the joys of club rugby. Swathes of empty seats around Twickenham indicated that some fans maybe knew what was coming.
As was to be expected, the opening quarter was cagier than an MMA chess match with Saracens well versed in navigating this particular board at Twickenham. Farrell opened the scoring with a penalty while Steward endured a sticky opening under the high ball. Ford was off target with a penalty and was then forced off with a nasty looking ankle injury that may keep him out of England’s tour to Australia.
Then came the flashpoint. Peeling off the back of an overthrown lineout, Montoya was dipping into contact, but Davies’ shoulder connected flush with his head. As Dylan Harltey will testify, Wayne Barnes has no qualms about showing a red card in a Premiership final. Yet Barnes ruled that Montoya was the “dominant” ball carrier so only awarded a yellow card. Perhaps another set of laws exist for when backs tackle forwards.
Aled Davies is booked after a heavy shoulder to head collision on Montoya... 🟨
Was he lucky not to get sent off?#GallagherPremFinal pic.twitter.com/0ILOTIpe2i— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 18, 2022
Injustice or not, Leicester immediately went to work capitalising upon their man advantage. From a lineout strike move, Ellis Genge pulled the ball back to Burns who instantly shipped it on to Steward, cutting a perfect line between Elliot Daly and Sean Maitland. A couple of phases later, Liebenberg was driven over from close range.
Daly immediately reduced the deficit with a penalty from just inside the Leicester half but the Tigers still had the man advantage and soon they had their second try. It started with Wigglesworth charging down Farrell, his old half-back partner, in midfield and ended with a tap penalty that resulted in Wigglesworth feeding the dumptruck figure of Wiese coming round the corner. Alex Goode on the tryline did not stand a chance. Burns missed the conversion so Leicester had to settle for a 12-6 half-time lead.
The circumspect opening quarter had given way to an open, frenetic affair with both sets of players struggling to keep pace with the kicks. Leicester should have pulled clear. Burns missed a tricky penalty and Saracens just about held their maul at bay after several close-range lineouts.
You sensed those missed chances would prove costly as Saracens, who were turning the screw at the set-piece, marched their way downfield and Farrell reduced the deficit to three points. With seven minutes to go, a searing Andy Christie break took Saracens deep into the Leicester 22 only for Billy Vunipola to run into Barnes. From the resulting scrum, Vunipola picked up and ran into an upright Scott who made contact with the No 8’s head. Yellow card, penalty and we were all square with less than five minutes remaining of normal time.
You knew a twist was coming, but few would have bet money on Burns, one of the sport’s great guys, being the one to deliver the final blow.
Leicester vs Saracens, Premiership final, as it happened:
05:40 PM
That's all for our live coverage
... but we'll have a full match report and plenty of analysis to come, so stay with us.
🏆 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏/𝟐𝟐 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 🏆
For the first time in nine years, @LeicesterTigers are back on top of English rugby 🐯#GallagherPremFinal pic.twitter.com/89xHyrGmSK— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 18, 2022
05:38 PM
Ben Youngs savours 'special day'
Asked how it felt to see his brother, Tom, lift the trophy, Ben Youngs opens up on how difficult the last few weeks have been for their family. "The support from the rugby community and everyone has been absolutely incredible," he says. "It's been overwhelming.
"It's not been easy, it's not been an easy time, but today was a special day. Tom having that moment to lift that cup having gone through all he's gone through... it's been very tough, but I'm unbelievably proud."
Their first league title since 2013...@LeicesterTigers are Premiership champions 🏆#GallagherPremFinal pic.twitter.com/8CWMgbwArW
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 18, 2022
05:29 PM
Farrell magnanimous in defeat
Despite his evident disappointment, Farrell has nothing but praise for Leicester. "We wanted something to hit at times and wanted something to sink our teeth into, but Leicester didn't give us that," he says.
"That was obviously the way that they were going after the game and they barely played anything in their half, which frustrated us. Full credit to Leicester, they've been outstanding all year and they really carried it over into this final today."
05:24 PM
Burns 'speechless' after winning drop goal
It's Burns' turn to speak to ITV and he's understandably elated. "I always see sportsmen, after things like this, go speechless," he grins. "That's genuinely how I feel, I can't put it into words.
"All year we've been fighting to the death, we showed it again today. We had a man in the bin, Sarries were all over us but we managed to come up with the goods. I'm just unbelievably proud to win this competition with this club and this set of players, I'm over the moon."
05:21 PM
Wiese thanks supporters and those behind the scenes
Speaking to ITV, Wiese, the man of the match, struggles to make himself heard over the noise of the Leicester fans. "It's just amazing," he says. "I want to say thank you to the fans, to our families, our friends and all the players who didn't play today.
"This isn't just the team that played, this is the whole squad across the season. It's everybody's work and I think it just shows how much hard work we put in through the season every day. I'm lost for words."
05:11 PM
Emotional end to the day
Didn't think hayfever could make you cry and then Tom Youngs appeared on the Twickenham big screen.
— Ben Coles (@bencoles_) June 18, 2022
05:09 PM
Leicester lift the trophy
... Ellis Genge hauling it aloft alongside Leicester great Tom Youngs, brother of Ben, whose wife Tiffany sadly died earlier this month.
Tom Youngs has just been shown on the big screen at Twickenham and there's been an earthquake.
— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) June 18, 2022
05:03 PM
Dreamlike finish
That's a masterpiece of a team performance but could not be more pleased for Freddie Burns. When he hit the drop-goal and wheeled away, he was part-shouting at teammates to get ready for the restart and part-holding his head because he couldn't believe it. Awesome.
— Charlie Morgan (@CharlieFelix) June 18, 2022
05:00 PM
Pure joy for Burns
How good. https://t.co/ZdaPTbd7v9
— Ben Coles (@bencoles_) June 18, 2022
04:57 PM
Full time, Leicester 15-12 Saracens
Having ceded their six-point lead in the second half and been reduced to 14 men with five minutes to go, Leicester looked to be in an extremely precarious position.
Instead, they surprised Saracens with one last big push and triumphed thanks to an audacious drop goal from their replacement fly-half. What an end to the Premiership season.
04:54 PM
LEICESTER HAVE WON IT!
Farrell attempts a short kick but Leicester gather and the ball is booted into touch. Burns, on for the injured Ford, is the hero, kicking the decisive drop goal right at the death.
04:51 PM
OH MY LORD
He's done it. Burns executes a perfect drop goal and it's 15-12 to Leicester with 30 seconds to go.
04:51 PM
78 mins, Leicester 12-12 Saracens
Leicester play it through the hands and Steward almost bursts through, but he's dragged down.
Tigers may be down to 14 men, but they are going for the win here. Could they opt for a drop goal?
04:49 PM
77 mins, Leicester 12-12 Saracens
Burns belts a high kick deep into Sarries territory and almost takes it himself with a scorching run, only for the bounce to evade him.
04:48 PM
76 mins, Leicester 12-12 Saracens
Farrell levels the scores. We could be headed for extra time here.
04:46 PM
SIN BIN!
Billy Vunipola bursts forwards and is only stopped by a high shot from Scott. It's not too dissimilar to Davies' yellow card and Barnes is consistent with his decision.
04:44 PM
73 mins, Leicester 12-9 Saracens
Andy Christie makes a clean break and suddenly Leicester's defence is all over the place.
Jamie George almost goes over, but is tackled right at the last. Sarries end up with a five-metre scrum before making another change, Duncan Taylor coming on for Nick Tompkins.
73 | Replacement:
⬆️ @duncantaylor3
⬇️ Tompkins
🐯 12 ⚫️ 9— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) June 18, 2022
04:41 PM
69 mins, Leicester 12-9 Saracens
Leicester's scrum comes to nothing, but they end up with a lineout and win a penalty after Itoje infringes with his jump.
Leicester opt for another scrum, but Saracens turn it over. Sarries then win a penalty and make up a swathe of territory with the kick.
04:36 PM
67 mins, Leicester 12-9 Saracens
Davies takes a high kick and quickly offloads to Billy Vunipola, who fails to read his team-mate's intentions and knocks on.
Leicester have an attacking scrum. Saracens make two more substitutions, with Davies and Mako Vunipola coming off.
67 | Some more kicking exchanges and Tigers have a scrum just inside our half.
⬆️ Mawi
⬆️ @IvanVanZyl1
⬇️ @Mako_Vunipola
⬇️ @aled009
🐯 12 ⚫️ 9— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) June 18, 2022
04:32 PM
Borthwick mixes things up
🔀🔀🔀
𝙊𝙉: Charlie Clare, Harry Wells, Ben Youngs
𝙊𝙁𝙁: Julián Montoya, Calum Green, Richard Wigglesworth#LEIvSAR #COYT 👊 pic.twitter.com/S54vp2MpAA— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 18, 2022
04:31 PM
63 mins, Leicester 12-9 Saracens
Farrell forces a knock-on with a high kick and suddenly Saracens are on the front foot, going through the phases.
Farrell, Earl and Isiekwe all bomb forwards as Sarries look for a way through. They eventually win a penalty after Malins is tackled off the ball, Farrell halving the deficit with ease.
04:25 PM
Change for Sarries
61 | Replacement:
⬆️ @AndyChristie43
⬇️ @TheoMcFarland06
🐯 12 ⚫️ 6— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) June 18, 2022
04:25 PM
59 mins, Leicester 12-6 Saracens
Guy Porter breaks Sarries' defensive line and almost goes clean through, but is brought down before he can make it to the try line. Leicester eventually give away a penalty for holding on.
04:23 PM
57 mins, Leicester 12-6 Saracens
The two sides exchange kicks until Ben Earl gives away a penalty for going off his feet at the ruck, giving Leicester another chance to make territory.
Leicester make another change, Matias Moroni coming off for Matt Scott.
04:20 PM
55 mins, Leicester 12-6 Saracens
Leicester form another driving maul but Saracens defend with determination. They eventually earn a scrum, then a penalty, easing the pressure somewhat.
04:18 PM
Leicester substitution
🔀🔀🔀
𝙊𝙉: Joe Heyes
𝙊𝙁𝙁: Dan Cole#LEIvSAR #COYT 👊 pic.twitter.com/b7R9B27uRF— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 18, 2022
04:17 PM
53 mins, Leicester 12-6 Saracens
Isiekwe gives away another penalty and Leicester opt for a lineout five metres out.
Tigers form another driving maul, which collapses in a heap. After several probing carries Burns attempts a crossfield kick to Ashton, but it's beautifully defended by Daly. Ashton tackles him into touch, however, and we're back to square one.
04:14 PM
50 mins, Leicester 12-6 Saracens
Alex Lozowski, on for Maitland as a half-time substitute, needlessly loses the ball and Leicester kick upfield once more.
Max Malins gets in a muddle and ends up gifting Tigers an attacking lineout. They win a penalty and, this time, they kick to the corner.
04:11 PM
46 mins, Leicester 12-6 Saracens
Tommy Reffell produces an excellent turnover and Leicester end up with an attacking lineout.
They kick upfield, but it fails to trouble Saracens' defence and their opponents come back at them.
04:07 PM
42 mins, Leicester 12-6 Saracens
Leicester win a penalty after Saracens illegally disrupt a driving maul following a lineout.
It's a long way out, but Burns opts for the kick. He narrowly misses, dragging wide from a tight angle.
04:03 PM
Second half kicks off
Will Leicester extend their lead here? Or will Saracens haul themselves back into the match? Let's find out.
03:51 PM
Half-time, Leicester 12-6 Saracens
They may have lost Ford midway through the first half, but Leicester can be satisfied with their efforts thus far.
Galvanised by Davies' yellow card – which Leicester fans may well feel should have been a red – they ground out two attritional tries and have a deserved six-point lead at the break. That said, Sarries aren't out of this game yet.
03:46 PM
38 mins, Leicester 12-6 Saracens
Sarries are back to full strength, with Davies returning to the field, and immediately scream forwards.
They force Leicester all the way back to their try line, before Steward does well to force a penalty for a high tackle.
03:43 PM
TRY! Leicester 12-6 Saracens
Leicester win a penalty at the scrum, then go for a series of crashing carries.
This time, Jasper Wiese finds a way through the Saracens defence. Burns misses the kick.
03:41 PM
31 mins, Leicester 7-6 Saracens
Farrell is charged down by Wigglesworth and suddenly Leicester are clean through. Wigglesworth doesn't know where the ball is but it falls nicely for Chris Ashton, who turns on the pace.
He can't quite get to the line and kicks through, but Saracens scramble their defence. Leicester have another five-metre scrum.
03:37 PM
29 mins, Leicester 7-6 Saracens
Discipline has been a real problem for both sides so far, Leicester giving away another penalty just inside their own half.
Elliot Daly steps up for a long-range effort and nails it, dragging Saracens back to within a point of their opponents.
03:35 PM
TRY! Leicester 7-3 Saracens
Steward roars down the right, taking Leicester up to the try line.
Several thumping carries wear down Saracens' defence before Liebenberg forces his way across the line. Burns adds the extras.
03:31 PM
SIN BIN!
Well, well, well.
Aled Davies is shown a yellow card after catching Julian Montoya high with his shoulder. The contact visibly jarred Montoya's head and could feasibly have been a red.
03:27 PM
23 mins, Leicester 0-3 Saracens
Ford won't be able to continue, unfortunately. He looks absolutely gutted as he's carried off by the Leicester medical staff.
Freddie Burns comes on in his place. It's a big loss for Tigers but, nonetheless, Burns is a capable replacement.
03:25 PM
22 mins, Leicester 0-3 Saracens
Ford and Harry Potter make hay down the left, but Leicester give away yet another penalty.
Ford is down with a knock to the ankle and requires treatment. There's a lengthy break in play.
03:22 PM
20 mins, Leicester 0-3 Saracens
Saracens give away another penalty, this time for an offside.
Ford gets a chance to level the scores but wastes it, sending his kick sailing wide of the far post.
03:19 PM
17 mins, Leicester 0-3 Saracens
Billy Vunipola makes a break out wide, showing lovely footwork to dance through several tackles.
He picks out Sean Maitland with an improvised pass and he makes more ground with a smart grubber. Saracens battle their way to the try line, but give away a penalty of their own at the ruck.
03:16 PM
15 mins, Leicester 0-3 Saracens
Leicester make territory with several clever kicks, eventually putting Goode under pressure on the line and winning a five-metre scrum.
The first scrum collapses and has to be reset by referee Wayne Barnes. The second also collapses and, this time, Barnes awards a penalty to Saracens.
03:13 PM
11 mins, Leicester 0-3 Saracens
Ford drops deep and unleashes a long kick into Saracens' 22, but Alex Goode gobbles it up and tries to initiate a quick counter-attack.
It comes to nothing, with both sides slugging it out at close quarters. It's all a bit messy at the moment.
03:10 PM
8 mins, Leicester 0-3 Saracens
Both sides test the waters with kicks before Freddie Steward boots the ball straight to Nick Isiekwe.
He loses the ball in the tackle, however, and Leicester end up with a scrum. They eventually clear their lines.
03:04 PM
4 mins, Leicester 0-3 Saracens
Saracens get the first scrum of the match, winning it with a crunching drive. They go through the phases, with Mako Vunipola and Itoje making carries.
Leicester give away a penalty, Hanro Liebenberg steaming in with a late tackle. Farrell steps up and sends the ball whistling between the posts.
03:01 PM
Kick off!
We're underway at Twickenham.
03:00 PM
Fireworks, smoke plumes, heavy metal
... all of which can only mean one thing. We're about to get started.
02:58 PM
Teams in the tunnel
... with Mako Vunipola set to lead Saracens out ahead of his 200th appearance for the club.
02:48 PM
Customary motivational montage
What a day so far.
It's nearly time for us to do our job 💥#StrongerTogether ⚫️🔴 pic.twitter.com/yawt9V4jEZ— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) June 18, 2022
02:41 PM
Players out on the pitch
📸 Warm-up | #LEIvSAR 🏉 #COYT 👊 pic.twitter.com/ETpSZQqIlM
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 18, 2022
02:40 PM
Farrell vs Ford
Of all the head-to-head battles this afternoon, Farrell's clash with George Ford at fly-half looks particularly crucial.
Here's our senior rugby writer, Charlie Morgan, with the long view on their mutual familiarity and parallel careers.
02:35 PM
A reminder
... that the game is being broadcast on BT Sport 1 and ITV4, in case you've been desperately channel hopping in search of coverage.
02:30 PM
Half an hour to go
Twickenham is starting to fill out as fans take their seats. Not long now until the big match begins.
02:23 PM
Good vibes
The atmosphere is building outside Twickenham... 🗣
📺 #GallagherPremFinal | BT Sport 1 HD pic.twitter.com/SiFZyF2up5— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) June 18, 2022
02:20 PM
Pre-match reading
Looking for a good read in the build-up to the game?
We've got an exclusive interview with Leicester forward Harry Wells, plus Maro Itoje's reflections on Saracens' salary-cap punishment. Oh, and here's our rugby reporter, Ben Coles, with an in-depth preview of the match. That should keep you going until kick off.
02:16 PM
Rousing reception for Leicester
What a welcome!
Thank You, #TigersFamily 🐯 pic.twitter.com/BSMVEOVyhZ— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 18, 2022
02:10 PM
Absolute flag fest
#TigersOnTour 🐯 pic.twitter.com/Dh1MSJECE9
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 18, 2022
02:08 PM
'A game to be excited about'
Speaking ahead of the match, Borthwick has talked up the influence of Leicester fans in his side's stellar season. "There is obviously an excitement around the group outside, that is natural and it is brilliant that there is a game like this to be excited about," he said.
"There have been many years where Leicester Tigers were not involved in big games. Since I arrived at the club the support has been like nothing else I have ever experienced and that bond between fans and the club is only getting stronger as time goes on.
"We have received incredible support this season, which has helped us immensely, and I know there will be thousands of Leicester Tigers fans at Twickenham to play their part."
01:57 PM
Warm welcome for Saracens
📸 Wow that was sensational.
It’s nearly time 🙌🏻#StrongerTogether ⚫️🔴 pic.twitter.com/J47X9jBCkp— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) June 18, 2022
01:55 PM
Leicester fans out in force
Great to see some familiar faces at Twickenham early, ready for today’s game! #TigersFamily 🐯 pic.twitter.com/GRztdfvorc
— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 18, 2022
01:52 PM
Big calls from Borthwick
One of the most notable absentees from Leicester's starting XV is scum-half Ben Youngs, who has to settle for a spot on the bench. In his place is former Saracens man Richard Wigglesworth who, at 39, is a grizzled campaigner.
Wigglesworth is a master of the box kick, suggesting Borthwick intends to put Saracens' defence under pressure with an aerial bombardment before potentially bringing on Youngs to change the tempo. Borthwick has also left Nemani Nadolo out of the squad, meaning Tigers will be without one of their most powerful attacking weapons.
01:37 PM
Saracens team news
🐺 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠'𝗦 𝗨𝗣 🚨
2️⃣0️⃣0️⃣th appearance for @Mako_Vunipola
1️⃣ change from semi-final win.
🔙 @NickIsiekwe starts in second-row.
Here is your 2️⃣3️⃣ tasked with bringing home the 🏆.
Full Team News ⬇️#StrongerTogether ⚫️🔴
📸 @maroitoje— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) June 17, 2022
01:37 PM
Leicester team news
📋 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒
The Leicester Tigers 2️⃣3️⃣ to face @Saracens in the Gallagher Premiership Final at Twickenham. #LEIvSAR 🏉 #COYT 👊 pic.twitter.com/nwAomSUVf7— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) June 17, 2022
01:34 PM
It's time for the big one
A reverential hush has settled over Twickenham. The big day is finally upon us. This afternoon, one of Leicester or Saracens will be crowned Premiership champions.
Both clubs have endured falls from grace before rising, ascendant, to contest this title decider. Leicester finished second-bottom of the table two seasons in a row before the arrival of Steve Borthwick as head coach and were only spared relegation in 2020 thanks to Saracens' salary-cap scandal, which saw the five-time Premiership winners spend a campaign in the Championship.
Borthwick has revitalised Leicester, masterminding a first-placed finish in the regular season as Tigers amassed a whopping total of 94 points. He has since presided over a 27-14 win against Northampton Saints in the Premiership semi-finals, putting Leicester within touching distance of a first title since 2013.
Saracens, meanwhile, finished in second place in their first season back in the top flight, seven points behind their rivals. They survived a punishing match against Harlequins in the semis, eventually triumphing 34-17.
Borthwick won the Premiership final with Saracens as a player back in 2011 having tasted defeat the previous year, with both matches against none other than Leicester. Asked how he wants Tigers to approach this season's grand finale, he said: "I want us to be the best versions of ourselves right now, in this moment.
"After this game we'll deal with whatever comes next, and I'm not bothered about what happened in the past.
"Where we are right now is all we can control. That's the theme this week."
Owen Farrell, the veteran Saracens fly-half, also stressed that the two sides would like to put their recent history behind them. "We've got an opportunity to do something special and we're really looking forward to it," he said.
"We're up against a fantastic side who we respect, so we have had to make sure our preparation has been right.
"The past is the past and we want to make sure that all of the exciting stuff is in front of us."