Why fast-thinking, bulked-up Saints are Premiership final

Full-back George Furbank typifies the new-look defensive approach that has propelled Northampton to Twickenham

There is always more to the best teams than meets the eye. On the surface Northampton are what they have always been: a proud club with excellent support and several hugely impressive individuals. Talk to those who have propelled the Saints to Twickenham, however, and it soon becomes clear their first appearance in a Premiership final for 10 years is not remotely a fluke.

If anything it has reached the stage where they will be seriously disappointed if celebratory chants of “shoe army” are not echoing around the sold-out stadium after the game. Bath are classy opposition on Saturday, equally keen to put some lean times behind them. But listen to some of the secrets behind Northampton’s improvement this season, allied to a fierce communal desire to give their departing legends a fitting send-off, and it is a distracted punter who bets against them.