How Saracens won the 2015 Premiership title

1. FT: Bath 16-28 Saracens
2. Saracens win Premiership title for second time
3. Farrell, George and Wyles tries give Sarries control
4. Fly-half Farrell ends with 18-point haul
5. Joseph try and three Ford penalties for Bath

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That just about concludes our coverage of the 2015 Premiership final at Twickenham.

It was a game that promised plenty and, luckily for us, it delivered in spade loads.

But, twelve months on from that heartbreaking extra-time defeat by Northampton Saints, today was very much Saracens' day. This was Saracens' year.

Thanks for joining us throughout the season - we'll be back for the Rugby World Cup in September!

Recap

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Saracens survived a second-half fightback from Bath to win their second Premiership title.

Last year's losing finalists led 25-3 at half-time after a near-perfect 40 minutes of rugby at Twickenham.

They scored three unanswered tries through Owen Farrell, Jamie George and Chris Wyles, with fly-half Farrell, named man of the match, kicking a further 10 points.

England centre Jonathan Joseph's try and eight points from George Ford gave Bath hope but Saracens held on to deny the Blue, Black and Whites a first top-flight title in 19 years.

Bath head coach Mike Ford told BT Sport: Congratulations to Saracens, who were definitely the best team on the day. At 25-3 at half-time it was always going to be a big ask.

"We'll just have to lick our wounds and come back stronger."

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Bath captain Stuart Hooper told BT Sport: "Obviously it's hugely disappointing. But I guess one of the reasons we play sport is if you win you get your moment - and credit to Saracens, they'll be on that podium today with the trophy.

"We realise it's not a wasted year. We worked hard to get to this point, although we didn't really do ourselves justice today."

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Josh Bolam: Substance over style, Saracens deserved winners.

Jonathan Collard: Funny how the team that finishes fourth end up as 'champions'. Better team on the day though. #unlucky #bathrugby

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre on BBC Radio 5 live

"I applaud Saracens. They have been efficient and ambitious in the way they have played. They have tailed off a bit in the second half because in their heart of hearts they probably thought they had the game won at 25-3. Well done."

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But now the moment belongs to Saracens, as one by one the players take their place up on the podium. Their captain Alistair Hargreaves joins them, heads to the middle and lifts the Premiership trophy above his head.

Fireworks explode, tickertape flies into the sky and the Sarries fans wave their flags in delight.

Saracens centre Brad Barritt told BT Sport: "It's more the fight within the team and the togetherness. People speak of culture and about what being a team is, but at Saracens you really feel that. We're best friends on and off the pitch and that really galvanises you in tough times."

Now the Bath players, led by captain Stuart Hooper, who we'll be hearing from in a few moments, trudge up to collect their runners-up medals. A breakthrough season, but one which ultimately ended in disappointment.

Saracens centre Brad Barritt told BT Sport: "This Saracens team probably won't get the credit for the way we attacked and the way we took the game to Bath in the first half. When we're at our best we can be unstoppable."

As the camera pans to England head coach Stuart Lancaster, watching in the crowd, referee Wayne Barnes leads the officials up to the podium to collect their medals.

Saracens scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth told BBC Radio 5 live: "It feels good. It's ironic that we've won it from fourth after coming top of the league for the last two years.

"We felt our experience would tell and that was the difference in the first half. Bath settled down in the second half and played some good rugby but in the first half we were right on on it."

For the record, Saracens are actually the first side in Premiership history to win the title having finished outside of the top two.

Saracens fly-half and man of the match Owen Farrell told BT Sport: "We built a good lead in that first half. We had to stay on it in the second half because we knew not everything would go our way, but we stuck in there and got the win."

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Saracens fly-half and man of the match Owen Farrell told BT Sport: "It's been a good season for us. We've had to work hard to get to where we are today, but that's pulled us together as a group.

"We felt calm coming into this game and we were able to draw on previous experiences."

As the clock ticks red, Neil de Kock knocks the ball out of play to prompt Wayne Barnes to blow the final whistle.

Having survived a Blue, Black and White storm at the start of the second half, Saracens looked pretty comfortable in the closing stages and are deserved winners.

BreakingFull-time

SARACENS ARE THE 2015 PREMIERSHIP CHAMPIONS!

Now Bath come forward - but hooker Rob Webber drops it and that is just about that. Handshakes, hugs and pats on backs all around on the Saracens bench, they know the job is done...

Saracens have the ball inside the Bath half, working their way through the phases. The title is theirs, but can they add some gloss to the scoreline? Charlie Hodgson gives it a go, with a drop-kick attempt, but it drifts wide.

Man of the Match

There was plenty of talk before the final about the battle of the two England fly-halves and, with Saracens heading for glory, Owen Farrell is named as man of the match to confirm which way that particular tussle has gone.

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Mike Ford's side have a line-out on halfway now, but it's stolen by Saracens once more, and Owen Farrell launches the ball out of play on the opposite side of the field.

Still the clock ticks towards a second Premiership title for Sarries.

We're into the final five minutes. Saracens lead by 12 points. Bath need a miracle.

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So far, it's been a masterclass from Saracens on how to see a game out. Often allowing Bath the ball, but keeping them at arm's length throughout.

Now a turnover allows Charlie Hodgson to poke a grubber through and turn the Blue, Black and Whites defence. A terrific offload from Chris Ashton keeps it alive too, but Duncan Taylor just about knocks on with the line, and the Premiership title, within touching distance.

David Barnes

Ex-Bath prop on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Somerset

"The clock is becoming an enemy for Bath."

That's uncharacteristically sloppy from George Ford who, after Bath win a penalty, fails to find touch with his kick. For Saracens, Charlie Hodgson has come on, with Owen Farrell moving to centre.

The handling errors continue to mount for the Blue, Black and Whites, as this time Matt Garvey spills an awkward-looking pass.

Saracens win a penalty at the scrum and, since that Owen Farrell kick made it 28-16, they've looked pretty comfortable.

Bath have had 81% possession since the break but still have a fair mountain to climb.

But now it's Saracens who infringe, in open play, and so George Ford boots the ball out. Bath really need something from this next five minutes or so if they're to keep alive their hopes of winning the Premiership title.

Peter Stringer is withdrawn for Chris Cook, meanwhile, which should bring an end to his Bath career.

A knock-on over on the left-hand side as Bath attack leads to a scrum, and a couple of resets later referee Wayne Barnes seems to be losing a bit of patience, letting out an exasperated shout of "fellas, fellas, listen..."

At the next attempt, the Sarries pack wins a penalty though, so Owen Farrell kicks to touch.

Penalty (Farrell)

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Owen Farrell's kick is as sweet as you like and Saracens will be glad to have just stemmed that increasing flow of Bath points since half-time.

But how often do you see a team concede a penalty right after converting one of their own? Ollie Devoto is the offender, caught offside as Saracens pile forward, so Owen Farrell will have an opportunity to restore those three points lost less than 60 seconds ago...

Penalty (Ford)

George Ford's penalty is good, and Bath continue to eat away at that Saracens lead, which has now been trimmed from 22 points to only nine during the third quarter of this Premiership final.

BBC Sport's Nabil Hassan at Twickenham: "Bath have shown their hand early here. They're going to run it at every given opportunity and with that first try they've now got the bit between their teeth. The majority of supporters here at Twickenham are wearing blue and black and they can sense a comeback. Electric atmosphere.

Away from the rugby, there are 11 chaps here at Twickenham wearing cricket gear. Batting pads, cricket bats, full whites. Top effort."

It's all become a bit sloppy from a Sarries point of view, as George Kruis infringes in jumping at the line-out, allowing George Ford another pop at goal from a tightish angle...

Again Bath have the ball back in hand, however, and George Ford's grubber through has put Saracens full-back Alex Goode under just enough pressure to cause him to rush his clearance straight out of play.

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A Saracens replacement to tell you about too, as Neil de Kock comes on for Richard Wigglesworth at scrum-half. The South African is straight into the action too following George Ford's spill, and Sarries win a penalty at the scrum.

The Blue, Black and Whites secure the ball from the restart and look to run it from deep inside their own half again. And Kyle Eastmond has won a penalty, allowing George Ford to head for touch.

Bath look a completely changed team in this second half, as captain Stuart Hooper is withdrawn for Dominic Day. The forward replacements made by Mike Ford have so far made a real difference.

Try (Joseph, con Ford)

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And Bath have their first try of the final! Having switched the ball from right to left, centre Jonathan Joseph throws in the kind of sidestep that is fast becoming his trademark, allowing him to go over in the corner. Terrific finish.

Bath owner Bruce Craig punches the air as George Ford lands the conversion.

Game on?

Kyle Eastmond has a clear sight of the line, but it's a superb try-saving tackle by Petrus Du Plessis on the Bath centre. But still they attack...

And now Chris Wyles infringes, coming off his feet at a ruck, so Bath have another opportunity to come forward. Into the Saracens 22, they've not been here too often...

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Leah F F Wright: #bbcrugby a lot of talk about @bathrugby all season but they still haven't won anything have they??

Gareth Vaughan: Have a feeling that we will see a Ford, Kyle Eastmond and Joseph masterclass in the second half and an incredible Bath comeback! #bbcrugby

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They are, slowly but surely, showing some more encouraging signs too are Mike Ford's side. George Ford's mini-break wins some yards, before Jonathan Joseph sends a grubber out to touch. A rare bit of field position for Bath.

But the Bath pack, boosted by recent replacements Rob Webber and Nick Auterac, have won a penalty against the put-in and George Ford heads for touch, just inside Saracens territory.

But no sooner do the Blue, Black and Whites land a penalty, Maro Itoje's superb work this time in the tackle in holding Semesa Rokoduguni up means Richard Wigglesworth will insert at a scrum. We're just inside Bath's half.

Penalty (Ford)

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It's straightforward enough for George Ford, who converts his second penalty of the afternoon. The lead is reduced to a still sizeable 19 points.

Having secured the ball safely, Bath's rolling maul is heading in the right direction. Peter Stringer has had quite enough of that, though, and Jonathan Joseph is then on the end of another high tackle from Owen Farrell. Another penalty - and this time George Ford is going for the posts.

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Maro Itoje, named in Stuart Lancaster's World Cup training squad, knocks on, so we'll scrum down. And it's a penalty against Saracens at the set-piece too, so to the corner Bath go.

No question, they need an early score.

Kick-off

The players are back out and, wasting no time, Bath's George Ford gets us going again in the second half. Which way is this Premiership final heading?

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Andy Horton: Not going well #bbcrugby #PremFinal

I've been digging around and have, against the odds, come up with a stat that might encourage Bath fans.

Four teams have indeed scored first in the Premiership final and gone on to lose. One of those teams was Saracens.

Admittedly, they didn't go on to lead by 22 points at half-time on that occasion...

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So, the big question then - can Bath do what no team has ever done before and come from behind at half-time to win the Premiership title?

Tell us what you think using #bbcrugby on Twitter.

The results are in...

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I'm guessing this might not be a great time to tell Bath fans that, prior to the match, 75.2% of you voted that you thought Mike Ford's men would win the Premiership final.

It's going to be some second half if you're proved right, I'll grant you that.

Brian Moore

Former England hooker on BBC Radio 5 live

"Saracens deserve their lead. They have been clinical and not unattractive."

Half-time

And, having safely secured the ball at the line-out, Saracens win a penalty, which Owen Farrell will kick into touch once more to end the opening period.

Sarries' lead of 22 points is the biggest ever at half-time in a Premiership final.

The Blue, Black and Whites have had plenty of possession but just can't seem to make their way into Saracens territory. The Sarries' scramble defence is just too good again here too, this time forcing Bath into touch. One minute to go until half-time.

BBC Sport's Nabil Hassan at Twickenham: "Absolute masterclass this from Saracens who are suffocating their opponents. Bath just haven't been able to hold any territory for a significant amount of time, they look rattled like rabbits in the headlights."

Penalty (Farrell)

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That's easy meat for Owen Farrell, who lands the kick once again and increases Saracens' advantage to 22 points. The interval cannot come soon enough for Bath.

After a knock-on it'll be a scrum inside the Bath half, Richard Wigglesworth with the put-in. It's a really good shove from the Blue, Black and Whites pack though.

Sarries do just about keep the ball - and within the blink of an eye have won a penalty right in front of the posts for David Wilson's infringement in the tackle.

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre on BBC Radio 5 live

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"Bath are used to setting up in the shape that they like but Saracens have looked at it and they know how to defend against it. Bath are trying too hard, they are making mistakes and Saracens are capitalising on it."

Try (Wyles, con Farrell)

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... And it all leads to what is just a brilliant, brilliant try.

David Strettle, who was caught short of the line, somehow keeps the move alive and Saracens have men over on the right-hand side too. Mako Vunipola very almost spills a pass right in the middle of it all - but soon enough Chris Wyles is left with a relatively easy try into the corner.

Owen Farrell's conversion is good and Sarries are running riot at Twickenham.

Wow, what a passage of play this is developing into. Yet another misplaced Bath pass is intercepted, allowing Duncan Taylor to steal in and produce a wonderful offload for David Strettle. Saracens are flooding forward...

Did you just feel a tremor in your living rooms then? If you did, I suspect the cause was that crunching hit by Sam Burgess on Saracens number eight Billy Vunipola. Huge.

Bath clear long from deep inside their own half, but Alex Goode comes forward to poke a beautiful kick into the corner.

Penalty (Ford)

George Ford, with his first pop at goal, lands the penalty and gets Bath onto the scoreboard. It's a start - but Saracens will be very happy with their work so far.

Here comes Semesa Rokoduguni now, beating one tackle and chipping the ball over the head of Alex Goode, who then clatters the wing after the ball had left his feet. The television match official confirms that Bath will have a penalty for that. To the corner or to the sticks? To the sticks it is...

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It's not been Bath's afternoon so far, that is for sure. Again a miscommunication in midfield sees captain Stuart Hooper over-run a pass, although a couple of up-and-unders later and the ball is back in Blue, Black and White hands on halfway.

Penalty (Farrell)

We're barely a quarter of the way into the final but this already looks a long way back for Bath. Owen Farrell, with a slight angle against him, knocks the kick over and their lead is up to 15 points.

But Saracens have won a penalty, with England prop David Wilson looking the likely guilty party as the two packs collapse into a big heap on the floor. Owen Farrell will go for the posts...

Director of rugby Mark McCall will be absolutely delighted with the start his Saracens side have made. Once again, they're up to Bath's 22, although some excellent work from Matt Banahan in the tackle earns the Blue, Black and Whites a scrum.

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George Tunstall: Saracens are scoring faster than the England cricket team at the moment.

Now, do Bath have an opportunity to make their way into Saracens territory for the first time since the opening 90 seconds? Sam Burgess's knock-on means the answer is an emphatic no - and Sarries win a penalty at the scrum too.

Anthony Watson's Premiership final is over, by the way. He failed his medical assessment so Ollie Devoto will stay on.

BBC Sport's Nabil Hassan at Twickenham: "Wonderful moment for Jamie George after his try, with the hooker completely mobbed by the Saracens replacements who were warming up close by. Bath are already playing catch-up. A third try for Sarries could take this away from them."

David Barnes

Ex-Bath prop on BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Somerset

"Bath have just got to think 'we have the players and the ability to score a lot of points'. They have got to keep going."

Try (George, missed con Farrell)

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But hooker Jamie George has stolen in for an intercept try for Saracens!

A bit of miscommunication, perhaps, as Ross Batty over-runs Kyle Eastmond's pass a little and allows George to pick up. He's got plenty of work to do, but George just about shows enough pace to cross from 25 metres or so. What a week he's had, having replaced Dylan Hartley in England's World Cup training squad only yesterday.

Owen Farrell's missed conversion offers some reprieve for Bath, but Sarries have had a terrific opening 15 minutes at Twickenham.

The Blue, Black and Whites win a penalty, so it's very much advantage Bath at the set-piece. Interestingly, however, George Ford boots his kick straight down the middle rather than into touch. It looks a good shout too, as Bath are on the attack.

Andrew Sheridan

BBC Radio Bristol

"Saracens are dominating the early stages here. It is one-way traffic at the moment."

Goodness me, and David Strettle may well have just put them two scores clear. After showing brute strength through their forwards down the right, Owen Farrell switches the play with an up-and-under to the left. Strettle is underneath it but, with Matt Banahan for company, can only knock it on. The first scrum of the final is deep in Bath territory.

This has been top stuff from Saracens, who are on the attack again and into the Bath 22. They have the ball on the right-hand side, working through the phases, but their opponents are holding strong. The defensive abilities of Mike Ford's side being well tested here.

All the while, Bath's Anthony Watson has been withdrawn for a medical assessment, presumably still feeling the affects from that earlier high tackle. Ollie Devoto is on at full-back.

Seb Jewell

London Welsh full-back on BBC London 94.9

"What a start for Saracens. It shows they are playing in the right areas. They've put two attacking kicks through and that has led them getting possession back and be on the front foot. That is going to be key today."

Try (Farrell, con Farrell)

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A cracking start to the final in terms of the rugby on show - and a cracking start for Saracens too.

Billy Vunipola breaks the line to earn a few extra metres, and the Blue, Black and Whites are struggling to get men over. Then, after exchanging passes with Duncan Taylor, Owen Farrell is left with a relatively simple score into the corner.

There's nothing simple about the conversion, mind you, but Farrell splits the post and Saracens lead by seven.

Owen Farrell kicks the ball forward now, forcing Peter Stringer to scamper back and clear into touch. Farrell got absolutely pole-axed by Sam Burgess as he poked it away, but it was a challenge the cross-coder was perfectly entitled to make.

Saracens into the Bath 22 now.

The opening few moments have been everything you might've thought they'd be - Bath working through the phases and Saracens springing out of the line to meet the tackles head on. They've turned it over too, have Sarries, and now they have the ball on halfway.

The Blue, Black and Whites waste no time in getting us moving again, and Anthony Watson is soon on the wrong end of a high tackle from Owen Farrell. JP Doyle, the television match official today, is called into some early action but he decides there's nothing too much wrong there and Bath head for the corner.

Some early defensive work for Saracens, who are in all white, after George Ford's grubber through into space makes them turn. Sarries scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth clears into touch.

Kick-off

Wayne Barnes is the man in the middle today, officiating in his sixth Premiership final. His whistle prompts Saracens fly-half Owen Farrell to boot the ball long and get us under way.

The teams are out

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The two sets of players make their way out onto the pitch, strolling past the Premiership trophy, to a glorious roar around Twickenham. Goosebumps time. Kick-off is moments away.

And, by the way, our vote has now closed too. We'll bring you the result at half-time.

We've got it covered

BBC Radio 5 live

As well as following our live text feed, you've got plenty of audio options to choose from this afternoon too.

Not only can you listen to uninterrupted commentary from BBC 5 Radio 5 live, but BBC Radio Bristol, BBC Somerset and BBC London 94.9 are also all at Twickenham today should you prefer the local angle.

To access all of the above, click the 'Live Coverage' tab at the top of the page.

Bouncing back

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After enjoying a terrific campaign that saw them rise to the top of the Premiership table and reach the Heineken Cup final, it all ended in tears for Saracens this time last year.

Under director of rugby Mark McCall, Sarries were comprehensively beaten by Jonny Wilkinson's Toulon at the Millennium Stadium and then edged out in extra time by Northampton Saints at Twickenham - all in the space of eight days.

"Twelve months ago, when we sat in the dressing room at the end of the game against Northampton, it seemed a long way off and a difficult journey," McCall told BBC London.

"Last year we went into the final having lost the European Cup final to Toulon the week before, which was a draining experience physically and mentally. We go into this game in a different mindset."

BBC Sport's Nabil Hassan at Twickenham: "One last huddle and Saracens disappear down the tunnel. Bath are still practising their line-out calls as their backs have a final run of their drills. Just under 10 minutes to go as Bath's fans start to find their voices. Cracking atmosphere here."

Winning rugby

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Just as Jonathan Joseph was earlier, Mike Ford has also been speaking this week about the importance of crossing that winning line.

For all their eye-catching attacking rugby, Ford wants his side to turn performances into trophies.

"People look at us and say we've won nothing yet, and they're right," Bath head coach Mike Ford told BBC Points West.

"For all the good rugby we've played, I think there'll be one or two sceptical people out there who'll say 'is it winning rugby?' And we've got to go out on Saturday and prove that it is."

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Speaking of George Ford v Owen Farrell, the Saracens fly-half rather predictably ended up spending a fair chunk of his pre-final press conference playing down any of that kind of talk.

The pair, both named in Stuart Lancaster's World Cup training squad, are likely to be be going head-to-head for the England number 10 shirt when the main event swings around in September.

"It's not a real rivalry between us," Farrell, 23, told BBC London. "All we're trying to do is the best for our team.

"It's nothing to do with me against him, it's just Saracens against Bath. I'm not worrying about anything else. We both wish each other well."

Farrell displaying the sort of forward defensive that has just helped Alastair Cook become England's highest Test run-scorer in the cricket.

'Ford offers you more than Farrell'

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre

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As well as spending some time answering your questions, Jeremy Guscott has also penned a column this week looking ahead to today's final, with particular focus on the battle of the fly-halves.

"The clubs that George Ford and Owen Farrell represent are a reflection of how they both play," he told BBC Sport.

"Bath have an all-court style - they are as likely to run in five tries as they are to play a territory game - and they have the ability to do that because of Ford's skill set.

"Farrell's game is suited to the way Saracens play. They do not run a great deal, they do not carry the ball a great deal, they kick-chase, they defend hard and they are mentally tough."

You can read more from Guscott, including a daring comparison between Bath and the All Blacks, by clicking here.

Line-ups

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Replacements: Brits, Barrington, Figallo, Hamilton, Wray, de Kock, Hodgson, Ashton.

Line-ups

BBC

Replacements: Webber, Auterac, Thomas, Day, Garvey, Fearns, Cook, Devoto.

Team news

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Both Saracens and Bath were mightily impressive in winning their semi-finals a week ago, so it should come as no great surprise that they've each named unchanged XVs for this afternoon.

That means winger Chris Ashton remains on the bench for Sarries, though he is joined among the replacements by Schalk Brits, who has recovered from illness.

No fewer than 18 of England's World Cup training squad could play some part in the Premiership final.

30-minute warning

The small matter of half an hour is now all that separates us from kick-off in the 2015 Premiership final.

That also means you only have 30 minutes left to tell us who you think will be lifting the trophy at the end of the day - Bath or Saracens?

The vote, which you can find on the right-hand side of the page (desktop) or via the tab at the top (mobile and tablet), will close at 14:30 BST and you can click here to read our voting terms and conditions.

We'll let you know who your chosen winner is during half-time.

Stat attack

BBC

On the face it, not much separated these two sides during the regular season. Bath scored marginally more tries, Saracens racked up marginally more points.

What does all of this mean for this afternoon? Not much, in all probability, but we quite like these fancy graphics and hope you do too.

Semi-final review

BBC

Having safely negotiated their way through that match at the Kasam Stadium, Saracens went on to produce a resilient performance to see off reigning champions Northampton Saints 29-24 in a pulsating Premiership semi-final at Franklin's Gardens.

David Strettle's touchdown and a penalty try for Jim Mallinder's side left the match evenly poised following a breathless first half.

Jamie George and Tom Wood exchanged further scores after the break, but the difference proved to be Owen Farrell's accuracy from the tee, as the England fly-half kicked five penalties and two conversions to steer Sarries to a memorable victory.

Saracens' season so far

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Premiership table-toppers in each of the last two years, this season has been far less straightforward for Saracens.

A campaign punctuated by seven defeats in the top flight led to a war of words between Mark McCall and Steve Diamond - and left them needing a substantial victory over London Welsh on the final day.

In Europe, meanwhile, Sarries were left flying the flag for the English clubs, as the only Premiership side to make it to the Champions Cup semi-finals.

A dramatic last-gasp victory at Racing Metro booked their place in the last four, but defeat by Clermont Auvergne ended any hopes of reaching their second successive final.

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We brought you the reaction to Bath's arrival at Twickenham earlier - and this is the reception Saracens received when they showed up...

@Saracens

Stat attack

BBC

Even when you consider that Bath's glory years came prior to the creation of the Premiership as we know it, Saracens' dominance in this particular fixture over the past couple of decades still may come as a bit of a surprise to an outsider.

It's been more even Stevens this season, though, with Bath winning 21-11 at The Rec in October and Sarries coming out on top 34-24 at Allianz Park in February.

But who'll have the better of things on neutral ground?

Farrell out first

Nabil Hassan

BBC Sport's Nabil Hassan at Twickenham: "Saracens fly-half Owen Farrell was first out, practising his kicking, going through his routine.

"Spotted him earlier strolling around the stadium wearing some oversized red headphones. Looked calm, focused and composed. His battle with George Ford one of many intriguing battles today."

Semi-final review

BBC

Aided by that all-important home advantage in the Premiership semi-finals, Bath reached their first Twickenham showpiece since 2004 with an eye-catching 47-10 last-four win over Leicester Tigers.

The Blue, Black and Whites, who beat their old rivals 45-0 back in September, ran in seven tries in front of a packed Recreation Ground.

Matt Banahan scored a hat-trick, England trio Kyle Eastmond, George Ford and Anthony Watson added further tries, and Sale Sharks-bound Peter Stringer also crossed the whitewash as Bath ran riot against a wilting Tigers defence after the break.

Bath's season so far

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Having missed out on a play-off spot on the final day of last season, Bath's place in the top four has looked pretty secure for a good while this time around.

With 10 wins from 11 regular-season matches at The Rec, they've relied heavily upon their home form in the Premiership, and a partisan West Country crowd would've played a part in that thumping win over Leicester Tigers in the semi-finals.

Mike Ford may feel they missed an opportunity in the European Champions Cup, however, exiting at the quarter-final stage after an error-strewn first half away to Leinster proved costly.

Ask Guscott

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre

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And last, but definitely not least...

HKT88: If you could change any of the current laws to make the game more exciting, what would they be?

Guscott: "How many am I allowed to change?!

"I would bring back rucking - and all I'd want is for the referees to referee every aspect of the scrum correctly. I still believe if that happened we wouldn't have as many problems as we do, starting with the feed."

Bath ready to live the dream?

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Bath have earned plenty of plaudits for their playing style under Mike Ford over the past couple of years - but the players know now is the time to take the next step.

"To be winners of the Premiership would be a dream for all of us here," England centre Jonathan Joseph told BBC Points West.

"It's something we've been working towards this whole season, it's just been all about that trophy.

"There's many players here I'd love to stand alongside on that podium lifting that trophy and that'd be a memory we'd never forget."

Ask Guscott

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre

Hugo: Do you feel that a system that doesn't let players playing abroad be selected for international duty is outdated?

Guscott: "No. I think there's a lot of merit in having your players play in the same league, playing against each other and being competitive every week. It's a boost to your own championship and it promotes it.

"I think if you allowed players to go the floodgates could open. I don't believe it would happen, but why take the risk?

"I think they should get rid of the exceptional circumstances rule too. If you got rid of that you'd get rid of the debate."

Ask Guscott

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre

TheLastKingOfEngland and MourinoKING: Is Sam Burgess in the England squad more for his performances playing rugby league than his performances in rugby union?

Guscott: "I'd like to think he's not in there because of what he's done in rugby league. Of course, your reputation stays with you forever, but I believe he's there because of who he is as a person and for what he's done so far in rugby union.

"If they're looking to the future, he's only 26, he's getting better and better and he can cover the midfield and back row."

Do you think he'll play in the World Cup and in what position?

"Personally, I'd be surprised if he did make it internationally in the back row. If all the other back-rowers are fit I don't think he'll be in the squad - but I wouldn't be overly surprised if he made it in as a midfielder."

BBC Sport's Nabil Hassan at Twickenham: "I've just had a quick stroll around Twickenham and I asked Bath and Saracens fans for one word to define their season.

"Bath: brilliant, blistering, try-fest, exciting, expected, amazing.

"Saracens: building, improving, hard, up-and-down, controlled, destiny.

"An interesting contrast."

This was Nabil's view of the Bath team arriving at Rugby HQ a few minutes ago...

Nabil Hassan

In Kruis control

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Like Bath's Anthony Watson, George Kruis of Saracens has also enjoyed a pretty barmy season.

The 25-year-old second-rower made his international debut in the same game as Watson - last November's defeat by New Zealand - before going on to become a mainstay in the England side during the Six Nations.

"It's been a big six months," Kruis told BBC London. "The Six Nations was a highlight at the beginning of it, and carrying on through we've had some big games with Saracens too.

"You don't get a lot of time to think about what you'd done and what games you've played in."

Ask Guscott

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre

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Captain: Do you think Stuart Lancaster made the right decision leaving out Christian Wade from his England squad?

Guscott: "It seems strange to me, given that David Strettle and Chris Ashton have not really figured for a while.

"Stuart Lancaster is always thinking and talking about the future, but he's also talked about experienced and there's no doubt that Ashton carries that experience.

"I am surprised. My subjective choice is that I'd swap Strettle for Wade, because Wade has that X-factor. Strettle has the experience and you can always draft him in if you need to, but it'd be good to give Wade that opportunity."

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Bath Rugby on Twitter: Before the sea of Blue, Black and White descends. #AvivaPremFinal

@BathRugby

Ask Guscott

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre

RVPlegend: What has been the best thing about this year's Premiership in your view?

Guscott: "The attacking intent and ambition from the teams. I don't know the statistics, but I imagine there's been a lot of tries scored this season.

"And the competition. I love the competitiveness of the Premiership."

Ask Guscott

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre

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Frank7: Graham Kitchener has had an excellent season with Leicester Tigers. He is a very quick and skilful player, so why was he not selected for England?

Guscott: "All of these are subjective, but my reason for not picking Kitchener is that I believe Courtney Lawes, Joe Launchbury and Dave Attwood are all better players. George Kruis has come in and done a brilliant job too.

"Launchbury hasn't been around lately but he's going to be back and a fit Launchbury will be first choice, along with Lawes.

"The likes of Parling, Attwood, Kitchener and Kruis are just going to have to fight for their opportunities and then take them when they come."

By the way, we'll be hearing from Saracens forward Kruis in just a few moments...

'It's just awesome'

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It certainly has been a pretty decent year for a fair few of the Bath boys - none more so than for full-back Anthony Watson.

The 21-year-old, who signed from London Irish in 2013, has starred for the Blue, Black and Whites throughout this season, with his performances prompting Stuart Lancaster to hand him his England debut during the 2014 autumn internationals.

"I've just been enjoying my rugby this year," Watson told BBC Points West. "To come into an environment like this and to try to improve alongside the players we've got here, it's just awesome.

"Credit to the coaches and the other players, they've made it pretty easy for me to just express myself on the pitch."

Ask Guscott

Jeremy Guscott

Former Bath and England centre

Cumbriankayaker: With the World Cup fast approaching, the understanding the Bath backs have with each other could surely give England an attacking edge - so how many of them would you pick?

Guscott: "You have to keep the ones that are there and bedding in nicely, so George Ford, Jonathan Joseph and Anthony Watson remain.

"Kyle Eastmond is going to be the unfortunate one because of the balance in defence. You have to recognise defence is a big part of the game and, it's not that his defence is weak, it's just that at international level the attacks are that much stronger and better. Teams would see Eastmond and Ford together and see that as a door worth knocking on.

"There is an argument that the whole Bath backline could play. But Mike Brown is the best full-back in the country, Stuart Lancaster likes Jack Nowell and I would probably go with Luther Burrell over Eastmond to give the backline some extra balance."

BBC

And here's how things finished at the wrong end of the Premiership table.

We can see that Harlequins have endured a tricky 12 months, dropping from a play-off spot all the way down to eighth, while Gloucester in ninth will be comforted by their victory in the European Challenge Cup final.

I also think we can safely say that London Welsh will be pretty glad to see the back of this season. The Exiles conceded 1,021 points in 22 games, an average of 46 per match, while their only point came courtesy of the four tries they managed against today's finalists Bath back in September.

BBC

Not that the final placings count for too much at this stage, but it'll do us no harm to have a brief look back at how the Premiership table ended up after round 22.

Northampton became only the fourth side since the creation of the play-offs to fail to reach the final having finished top of the table (we'll have more on their semi-final defeat a bit later).

And, aside from the top four, Exeter Chiefs and Wasps are also back in Europe's top-tier competition from next season having finished fifth and sixth respectively.

The contenders

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The Rat Pack against The Wolf Pack, attack against defence, the new kids on the block against the experienced campaigners; however you're billing today's Premiership final, it promises to be a belter.

Bath, six-times top-flight champions, have not lifted English rugby union's biggest prize in 19 years - and today marks their first final since 2004.

Saracens, meanwhile, are in their fourth Premiership showpiece in six seasons, but have only won the title once during that time.

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Of course, we'd very much welcome your views on all of those subjects too. Were you pleased to see Sam Burgess in England's 50-man training squad? Who should've been in there that wasn't? And how do you think today's final is going to pan out?

You can get in touch with us via the usual method, by using #bbcrugby on Twitter.

Ask Guscott

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This week, we've also been encouraging you to send in your questions to former Bath, England and British and Irish Lions centre Jeremy Guscott, who will be commentating for BBC Radio 5 live this afternoon.

The good news is that Jerry has since spent a bit of time answering a selection of those - and you can see what he's got to say about Stuart Lancaster's England squad, what he's enjoyed most about the Premiership season and which rugby union law he'd most like to change between now and kick-off.

In the meantime, we'll be spending the next couple of hours hearing from the two camps involved this afternoon, reminding ourselves of how they both made it to Twickenham and taking a look back at how the season unfolded.

So grab yourself a cuppa, stick your feet up and get stuck in.

Who's your money on?

That question, I hasten to add, certainly isn't rhetorical either. Just who do you think will win this year's Premiership crown?

You can send us your answer now by popping over to the right-hand side of the page (desktop) or up to the tab at the top (mobile and tablet), and you can click here to read our terms and conditions too.

The vote will close at 14:30 BST and we'll reveal your chosen winner at half-time.

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The prize, in glistening silver, stands at 79cm tall and weighs in at 15kg. Only four captains have held this particular version aloft, though dozens before them have lifted previous incarnations.

And, at around 16:30 BST this afternoon, it is an honour that will fall to either Bath's Stuart Hooper or Saracens' Alistair Hargreaves.

But which will it be?

Welcome to our coverage of the 2015 Premiership final at Twickenham.

On this day, by road, by train and by air, draped proudly in the colours of their tribe, tens of thousands of hopeful men and women will travel from all corners of the land to embark on a small patch of London Town.

For some, it will be a short and familiar trip, one frequently endured in recent years - but one they've returned home from triumphant only once.

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For others, who are old enough to remember at least, it is a journey that will stir memories of former glories, perhaps forgotten in the midst of more testing times.

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Wherever they are from, however, today the goal they share is a common one.

To become champions.