Sophie Hurcom
BBC Sport at Twickenham

I'm not saying that Sale fans are more excited of the two groups to be at Twickenham today, but they are definitely the most noticeable and vocal so far.

As I came off the motorway and joined the roads towards west London I followed a car with a Sale scarf strategically hanging out of the back window billowing in the wind.

A few streets later, I pulled up behind another at a set of traffic lights and watched as a passenger arm stretched out the window to hold aloft a stuffed shark high and proud.

Inside the stadium it's more of the same and as the DJ set belts out, there's a big block of Sale fans stomping their feet and hitting their seats in time to the beat just to our left.

Having waited 17 years to get to a final like this, Sale's fans are certainly embracing and loving every minute of the occasion.

Image source, Getty Images

Alex Sanderson has instilled a culture at Sale Sharks where players "want to run through brick walls for him", according to former team-mate Andy Titterrell.

Sanderson took up the role as director of rugby at the Salford-based side in 2021 and guided them Sharks to a Premiership semi-final after his first few months in charge.

After a sixth-place finish last season, they claimed second sport comfortably this term and have progressed to their first Premiership final since 2006.

The former club captain played for Sale from 1998-2004, making 90 appearances, and became known for his leadership qualities as a player.

And Titterrell, part of the side that beat Leicester Tigers to win the title 17 years ago, believes those qualities now run through the Sale side which Sanderson has taken to within one game of their second domestic title.

"Alex was my first captain at Sale. He is very competitive," Titterrell told BBC Sport.

"He would run through brick walls as a player and I think what he has managed to build in himself and his coaching is that he will have a squad of players that want to run through brick walls for him.

"That is really important, in terms of the fact he is a northern lad who knows the club and loves it. He is a competitor and a winner."

• Read more from Andy Titterell on Sanderson and Sale's 2006 triumph.

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After losing the final in dramatic fashion last season, Sarries went away and licked their wounds and have come back this season as a team transformed.

While keeping their ferocious defensive game, the aim has been to make the most of attacking opportunities when they arise.

The result has been a side which scored 83 Premiership tries this season - the second-most in the league behind Northampton.

"We all felt agitated and aggravated by the manner in which we had gone down," director of rugby Mark McCall said.

"It was a change in mentality, rather than style, back in August. We committed to a certain way of playing.

"We have worked really hard at our game for 44 weeks and want to test it against a really top team on Saturday."

Image source, Rex Features

Regular rugby viewers may be surprised to see both sides wearing their away kits this afternoon at Twickenham.

That's because a change has been agreed to avoid a clash for colour-blind viewers - with one in 12 men and one in 200 women worldwide affected by the deficiency.

Saracens, as the top seeds, would have worn their black home strip against the Sharks, who have a maroon away kit.

The five-time champions will instead wear their white away shirts.

Colour Blind Awareness recommends avoiding the black against red colour combination for the benefit of supporters with a vision deficiency.

Premiership Rugby has been working with the UK-based non-profit organisation, which offers help and advice on the condition.

"Our clubs have been overwhelmingly supportive of our ambition to eliminate kit clashes with a collective desire to increase inclusivity of our sport to all audiences," said Premiership Rugby's head of broadcast Ollie Lewis.

There's an enforced change for Sale after Ben Curry suffered a hamstring injury in their semi-final victory over Leicester which has ruled him out of the World Cup.

Sam Dugdale comes in at open-side flanker and Jono Ross will captain the side in Curry's stead.

Image source, BBC Sport

Replacements: Ashman, Rodd, Oosthuizen, Beaumont, Ellis, Quirke, James, O'Flaherty.

Saracens have made one change from their semi-final win over Northampton Saints.

Fiji international Eroni Mawi comes in at loose-head prop for the experienced Mako Vunipola.

Vunipola was initially named on the bench, but has now dropped out entirely with Robin Hislop handed the number 17 shirt.

Image source, BBC Sport

Replacements: Dan, Hislop, Judge, Hunter-Hill, Knight, Davies, Taylor, Daly.

Image source, Rex Features/Getty Images

This match has, inevitably, been pitched as a showdown between Owen Farrell and George Ford at fly-half.

Sarries captain Farrell has 106 caps for England but Ford - with 81 - could wrestle the number 10 jersey off him for this year's Rugby World Cup if the Sharks come out on top today.

Ford's kicking game, including his difficult-to-catch spiral bombs, has been a big feature in Sale's success since his debut in February.

After being forced off through injury for Leicester after 23 minutes of the final last year, this afternoon should see a longer head-to-head battle.

"Since coming back into the Sale team he has been outstanding," Farrell told BBC Radio 5 Live about his opposite number.

"I think he is in a good place. He looks calm and in control. I would not underestimate the influence that he has had on that team behind the scenes."

However, Ford sees other match-ups around the pitch as just as important.

"Owen's a brilliant player and an integral part of their team, but it's never a one v one in rugby is it?" Ford told BBC Sport.

Twickenham has been buzzing with anticipation for hours as we count down to kick-off in today's big game.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Some 343 days after losing last season's Premiership final to Leicester Tigers, following a last-minute drop-goal by Freddie Burns, Saracens return to Twickenham looking for a first crown since 2019.

Sarries won five titles in a nine-year spell - including four between 2015 and 2019 - but were then relegated at the end of the 2019-20 season for breaches of the league's salary cap.

The north Londoners sealed an immediate return to the top flight before falling at the final hurdle last June.

Mark McCall's men responded by finishing top of the table, five points clear of Sale in second.

The Sharks are playing in their first Premiership final since 2006, when they beat the Tigers 45-20 to lift what has been their sole league trophy.

Win today and the Manchester-based side would move level with Exeter Chiefs and Harlequins on two titles.

Image source, Getty Images

After a long season which began on the second Saturday in September, the Premiership title will be decided today as the top two teams in the land meet at Twickenham.

Five-time champions Saracens have bags of experience, but Sale Sharks travel south with real hope of claiming their first title since 2006.

The match is filled with storylines, as Owen Farrell and George Ford - two rivals for the England number 10 shirt - clash at fly-half.

Meanwhile, can Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson get the better of opposite number Mark McCall, who he served under as forwards and defence coach for several years?

It has been a turbulent season off the pitch, with Wasps and Worcester entering administration and dropping out of the league, but our focus today is the action on the pitch and what should be a captivating game.

Kick-off is at 15:00 BST.