Front row dominance will be difference between Northampton Saints and Bath
When Northampton Saints and Bath take on each other this weekend in the Premiership final at Twickenham, you wouldn’t be blamed for thinking that it is all going to be about speed of ball and free-flowing moves created by each team’s backs.
But in reality the team that lifts the trophy on Saturday evening – to become the fifth different Premiership winner in five years – will do so off the back of a solid forwards display.
Because often the greatest attacking moves come from a stable pack.
This season I would have said that Northampton Saints’s props have been the chink in an otherwise solid suit of armour; the departing Alex Waller and his brother Ethan, Trevor Davison, Tarek Haffar, Paul Hill and others aren’t, as a collective, on the same level as many other squads in the Premiership.
But against Saracens in their semi-final victory they were superb, and really had the upper hand on a north London pack who were playing on the emotions of departing figures, including the Vunipola brothers Billy and Mako, as well as Owen Farrell and Sean Maitland.
Northampton up against it
This weekend they’ll be up against it, however, and Bath will believe they can get the upper hand on the shove.
In their semi-final victory over Sale Sharks, Ben Obano, Thomas du Toit, Juan Schoeman and Will Stuart starred for the West Country side in the front row.
Du Toit has seven Premiership tries this year and has been lethal in that aspect of the game.
So when your mates are raving about the quality of the backs and the sensational finishes we are bound to see at Twickenham while in the pub, remember that it’s the big boys out front who have done the hard preparation to offer the platform to the showboaters.
On a wider note, it is great that the Premiership will have a fifth different winner in five years while news that this year’s final is the fastest sell-out in the competition’s history is alsoi brilliant to hear. We shouldn’t expect anything less! The expected XVs are littered with international talents and world beaters.
Finn Russell is taking on Fin Smith at No10, while Ben Spencer faces off against fellow England scrum-half Alex Mitchell.
Courtney Lawes will depart the English game on Saturday night, but will he do it with a winner’s medal around his neck?
Northampton duo Ollie Sleightholme and Tommy Freeman go on the wings against Bath’s Will Muir and Joe Cokanasiga.
There is talent everywhere, and that undoubtedly has helped sell this match. For the neutral it has everything, and, unless you’re a fan of their rivals Gloucester or Leicester, you’re probably wanting a good game over a particular team winning.
Ref Watch
I think it is notable that Christophe Ridley will referee Saturday’s final. He was in charge for Northampton’s win last weekend but that is not necessarily a good thing for the East Midlands club.
On one hand they might think they know how he and his refereeing quirks work, and having him two weeks in a row can be an advantage for teams usually used to chopping and changing officials.
But Ridley may also have spotted a few parts of Saints’ game he didn’t like last week and if they have not tidied those up he will undoubtedly be right on it.
He, along with the likes of Luke Pearce, are the next generation of top English referees after the departure of Wayne Barnes.
This final is a big step for their career progression as much as it will be for the players’.
Former England Sevens captain Ollie Phillips is the founder of Optimist Performance, experts in leadership development behavioural change and executive coaching support. Follow Ollie on Twitter and on LinkedIn @OlliePhillips11