Northampton Saints scrum-half Alex Mitchell has detailed his team are fully playing into the ‘last dance’ feeling around the club ahead of the Gallagher Premiership final.
The Premiership final will be an emotional one for many Northampton players and fans alike, with the likes of Courtney Lawes, Lewis Ludlam, Waller’s Alex and Ethan and Alex Moon all leaving the club no matter the outcome at Twickenham.
Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Mitchell said: “Last week was huge, because if we lost that was it. We wanted to earn one more week with the boys which we’ve done. This week we want to send them off with some silverware.
“Everyone appreciates that it is the last dance. We always mention it in meetings, it’s a massive thing for us. We know it’s a massive thing and to send them off with silverware, but it’s a massive game for everyone.
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This season has already been a brilliant one in the East Midlands. They have been top of the table since December, and have also reached a European semi-final, but Mitchell wants to send the players off with one last memory to look back on.
“I think it’s been awesome for them to have their goodbyes. A lot of the time when you finish a career, it’s not a fairy-tale ending; not that they’ve had that as of yet! But it’s been fantastic for them to run out with their families at Franklin’s Gardens. They’re never going to forget those memories, and then hopefully we’ll make some more this week.”
Alex Mitchell on ‘business as usual’ ahead of Premiership final
The pressure of a final is always intense, as excitement builds up amongst fans and the media alike, however Mitchell said he is treating it as any normal week.
“I think you just try and treat it as another week,” he said. “You don’t want to hype it up too much, there’s going to be so much hype around it anyway, you don’t want to build it up too much. I think with the week you want to slowly build it up and not put too much emotion at the start of the week, because you won’t have any emotion left for the Saturday.
He added: “I think it’s like any other week. Same training week, same processes, same messages; obviously it changes with the opposition, but not much else changes.”
Northampton have already had big game experience this season. They have played in two semi-finals against Leinster and Saracens, and have also already played at a packed out Twickenham too. Will these big game experiences get them over the line against Bath?
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