Northampton Saints are out to paint Twickenham green, black and gold, after winning the Premiership Final against Bath. It has been a breath taking afternoon of rugby in the nation’s capital, and here are five takeaways from the pinnacle match of the English club rugby calendar.
5 THINGS WE LEARNED: 2024 PREMIERSHIP RUGBY FINAL
1. Courtney Lawes Gets His Fairytale Ending
Having been a stalwart of the club since his debut against Esher in 2007, Courtney Lawes gets his well deserved Northampton send off as a two-time Premiership champion. During the week running up to the match, Lawes called the opportunity to win the Premiership title on his final outing for the Saints as ‘the icing on the cake’. He has certainly achieved all that he’s set out to in green, black and gold, with all objective ticked by the departing captain for an expected weekend of celebrations.
Lawes led by example throughout the match, and respectfully gave full credit to his blue, black and white opponents after the game. The loose forward is as relaxed as they come, yet when the big moments come calling he is the ever reliable old-head that can steer the Saints to success. Lawes lifted the Premiership trophy high above his head alongside Lewis Ludlam, for his 262nd and final outing for the East Midlands club.
2. Northampton Saints Win their First Premiership Title since 2014
The two remaining winners of Northampton’s 2013/14 Premiership title triumphs were Courtney Lawes and Alex Waller, both of which had their Saints bow-outs today at Twickenham Stadium. Cast our minds back to a decade ago, and Phil Dowson had to settle for a replacement appearence in the Premiership Final win over Saracens. It was the departing Waller who secured the triumph a decade ago, as the prop scored the extra-time winning try to snatch the trophy from the grasps of Saracens.
Now, Phil Dowson has just overseen his Saints win the Premiership as the club’s Director of Rugby. The former lock has had an incredible move to the back-room after his playing career ended in 2017, and orchestrated the Saints to march on for only their second league title. In a poetic sense of sentimentality, Northampton end their decade long wait for the Premiership trophy, which will return to the East Midlands draped in green, black and gold.
3. Beno Obano England Tour Hopes in Jeopardy
A major talking point of the Premiership Final was the sending off to Beno Obano, as the prop saw red for his high tackle on Juarno Augustus. Obano was given his marching orders despite a TMO review, that was trying to look for mitigation in Augustus’ drop in height ahead of the incoming contact. Nonetheless, Obano sat out the majority of the match following his 22nd minute exit, and could well remain on the side-lines for the upcoming England Summer tour.
Obano has been in and around Steve Borthwick’s plans in recent months, with his last outing in the Red Rose coming against Italy in the opening round of the 2024 Guinness Six Nations. The Bath prop could well have jeopridised his plans for a recalling to the England squad, as Borthwick’s men are due to head out to Japan and New Zealand for a trio of fixtures this Summer.
Obano’s ban could write him out as ineligible for the opening tour date against Eddie Jones’ Brave Blossoms, but he could well make a return for one or both of the fixtures against the All Blacks. Only time will tell when Obano hears the decision from the judiciary panel.