Check out the official statistical preview of this season's Guinness Premiership Final.
GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP FINAL
Saturday 31st May
London Wasps v Leicester Tigers (Twickenham, 3pm) Live on
FINAL PREVIEW
London Wasps v Leicester Tigers
Referee: Wayne Barnes (55th Premiership game). Touch Judges: Peter Huckle and Paul Dix. TMO: Geoff Warren.
HEAD TO HEAD - RECENT PREMIERSHIP MEETINGS
10/09/05 - London Wasps 29-29 Leicester Tigers
22/04/06 - Leicester Tigers 20-19 London Wasps
26/11/06 - London Wasps 13-19 Leicester Tigers
28/04/07 - Leicester Tigers 40-26 London Wasps
30/09/07 - London Wasps 17-20 Leicester Tigers
29/03/08 - Leicester Tigers 19-24 London Wasps
The last team other than Gloucester to have defeated London Wasps in the Guinness Premiership was Harlequins 26-25 at the Stoop on 20 October. Wasps are attempting to win a 4th Premiership title after their three successive wins in the 2003, 2004 and 2005 finals.
The Londoners have won the last nine finals they have contested in all competitions (eight at Twickenham) since losing the 1997/98 Cup final to Saracens. Wasps have lost twice at Twickenham in the Premiership: 11-13 to Saracens on 4 September 2004 and 19-29 also to Saracens on 15 September 2007, both in opening weekend double-header matches.
Defending Guinness Premiership title holders Leicester Tigers' only defeat in their last four matches was 25-28 at Newcastle Falcons on 4 May.
The Tigers are playing in a 4th successive Premiership final and are looking for a 6th Premiership title in all. Since beating Gloucester 44-16 in last season's Guinness Premiership final Leicester have lost on their two appearances at Twickenham: 9-25 to Wasps in the European Cup final last May, and 6-23 to Ospreys in the EDF Energy Cup final on 12 April.
Wasps and Leicester have met on three occasions this season, with the Tigers taking the Guinness Premiership game 20-17 at Adams Park on 30 September and the EDF Energy Cup semi-final 43-24 at Millennium Stadium on 22 March, whilst Wasps exacted some revenge at Welford Road on 29 March with a 24-19 victory.
The two rivals have met in two previous Twickenham finals with Wasps victorious on both occasions: 39-14 in the Premiership final on 14 May 2005, and 25-9 in the European Cup final on 20 May 2007.
WASPS v TIGERS IN 2007/08
GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP
30 SEPTEMBER 2007
LONDON WASPS (11) 17, LEICESTER TIGERS (14) 20 (Adams Park)
London Wasps: Mark Van Gisbergen(1PG); Chris Bishay, Fraser Waters, Riki Flutey, Tom Voyce(1T); Dave Walder(1PG, 1DG), Mark McMillan; Tim Payne, Joe Ward, Michael Holford; George Skivington, Tom Palmer; John Hart (capt), James Haskell, Richard Birkett.
Bench: James Buckland, Tom French, Hugo Ellis, Dan Leo, Simon Amor, Rob Hoadley, Danny Cipriani(1PG).
Replacements used: Amor for McMillan 41, Leo for Skivington 52, Cipriani for Walder 52, French for Payne 54, Hoadley for Van Gisbergen 59, Buckland for Ward 69, Van Gisbergen for Hoadley 69, Ellis for Birkett 77.
Leicester Tigers: Johne Murphy(1PG); Matt Smith, Ollie Smith(1T), Sam Vesty, Tom Varndell; Andy Goode (sin bin 35-47)(4PG), Christophe Laussucq; Boris Stankovich, Benjamin Kayser, David Young; Louis Deacon (capt), Marco Wentzel; Jordan Crane, Luke Abraham, Brett Deacon.
Bench: Mefin Davies, Alex Moreno, Richard Blaze, Ben Herring, Ben Youngs, Matt Cornwell, Tom Youngs.
Replacements used: B.Youngs for Laussucq 55, Cornwell for Vesty 57, Davies for Kayser 59, Blaze for Wentzel 62, Moreno for Young 69, Vesty for Cornwell 70, Herring for Abraham 74.
Scoring sequence: 3' Walder (DG) 3-0, 5' Goode (PG) 3-3, 9' Smith (T) 3-8, 15' Voyce (T) 8-8, 30' Goode (PG) 8-11, 35' Van Gisbergen (PG) 11-11, 37' J.Murphy (PG) 11-14, 42' Walder (PG) 14-14, 64' Goode (PG) 14-17, 68' Cipriani (PG) 17-17, 77' Goode (PG) 17-20.
Referee: Sean Davey (England)
Attendance: 7313.
EDF ENERGY CUP - SEMI FINAL
22 MARCH 2008
LEICESTER TIGERS (13) 34, LONDON WASPS (12) 24 (Millennium Stadium)
Leicester Tigers: Johne Murphy; Tom Varndell, Seru Rabeni(1T), Dan Hipkiss(1T), Alesana Tuilagi; Andy Goode(1T, 4C, 2PG), Harry Ellis; Boris Stankovich, George Chuter, Martin Castrogiovanni(1T); Louis Deacon, Ben Kay; Tom Croft, Ben Herring, Martin Corry (capt).
Bench: Benjamin Kayser, Marcos Ayerza, Julian White, Jordan Crane, Christophe Laussucq, Matt Cornwell, Sam Vesty.
Replacements used: Ayerza for Stankovich 45, Crane for Herring 49, White for Castrogiovanni 51, Castrogiovanni for White 61, White for Castrogiovanni 72, Kayser for Chuter 74, Vesty for Goode 77.
London Wasps: Josh Lewsey; Paul Sackey(2T), Fraser Waters, Riki Flutey, David Doherty; Danny Cipriani(2T, 1C), Eoin Reddan; Tim Payne, Raphael Ibanez, Phil Vickery; George Skivington, Tom Palmer; John Hart, James Haskell, Lawrence Dallaglio (capt).
Bench: Joe Ward, Tom French, Richard Birkett, Dan Leo, Mark McMillan, Dave Walder(1C), Dominic Waldouck.
Replacements used: Walder for Doherty 57, Leo for Hart 61, Waldouck for Waters 66, Ward for Ibanez 72, McMillan for Reddan 72, French for Vickery 74, Birkett for Palmer 76.
Scoring sequence: 16' Goode (PG) 3-0, 23' Cipriani (T) 3-5, Cipriani (C) 3-7, 28' Goode (PG) 6-7, 30' Sackey (T) 6-12, 34' Goode (T) 11-12, Goode (C) 13-12, 44' Rabeni (T) 18-12, Goode (C) 20-12, 56' Hipkiss (T) 25-12, Goode (C) 27-12, 61' Sackey (T) 27-17, 68' Castrogiovanni (T) 32-17, Goode (C) 34-17, 76' Cipriani (T) 34-22, Walder (C) 34-24.
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Attendance: 40018.
GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP
29 MARCH 2008
LEICESTER TIGERS (9) 19, LONDON WASPS (14) 24 (Welford Road)
Leicester Tigers: Johne Murphy; Tom Varndell, Seru Rabeni(1T), Dan Hipkiss, Alesana Tuilagi; Andy Goode(1C, 4PG), Harry Ellis; Marcos Ayerza, George Chuter, Martin Castrogiovanni; Louis Deacon, Ben Kay; Martin Corry (capt), Tom Croft, Jordan Crane.
Bench: Benjamin Kayser, Julian White, Richard Blaze, Brett Deacon, Christophe Laussucq, Sam Vesty, Ollie Smith.
Replacements used: Blaze for Kay 49, White for Castrogiovanni 61, Kayser for Chuter 65, B.Deacon for L.Deacon 71.
London Wasps: Danny Cipriani(1T, 1C); Paul Sackey, Fraser Waters(2T), Riki Flutey (sin bin 30-41), Josh Lewsey; Dave Walder(2C, 1PG), Eoin Reddan; Tim Payne, Raphael Ibanez (capt), Phil Vickery; Simon Shaw, Tom Palmer; James Haskell, Tom Rees, John Hart.
Bench: James Buckland, Pat Barnard, Tom French, George Skivington, Mark McMillan, Dominic Waldouck, Rob Webber.
Replacements used: Barnard for Vickery 57, French for Payne 57, Waldouck for Walder 61, Buckland for Ibanez 65, Webber for Rees 71.
Scoring sequence: 2' Goode (PG) 3-0, 8' Waters (T) 3-5, Walder (C) 3-7, 20' Waters (T) 3-12, Walder (C) 3-14, 24' Goode (PG) 6-14, 31' Goode (PG) 9-14, 47' Rabeni (T) 14-14, Goode (C) 16-14, 60' Walder (PG) 16-17, 62' Cipriani (T) 16-22, Cipriani (C) 16-24, 75' Goode (PG) 19-24.
Referee: Chris White (England)
Attendance: 17498.
PREVIOUS PREMIERSHIP CHAMPIONS
1997-98 Newcastle Falcons
1998-99 Leicester Tigers
1999-00 Leicester Tigers
2000-01 Leicester Tigers
2001-02 Leicester Tigers
2002-03 London Wasps
2003-04 London Wasps
2004-05 London Wasps
2005-06 Sale Sharks
2006-07 Leicester Tigers
ALL THE PREVIOUS PREMIERSHIP FINALS
31 MAY 2003
GLOUCESTER (3) 3, LONDON WASPS (23) 39 (Twickenham)
Gloucester: Thinus Delport; Marcel Garvey (Clive Stuart-Smith 77), Terry Fanolua (Robert Todd 63), Henry Paul, James Simpson-Daniel; Ludovic Mercier(1PG) (Simon Amor 69), Andy Gomarsall (sin bin 42-53); Rodrigo Roncero, Olivier Azam, Phil Vickery; Adam Eustace, Mark Cornwell (Rob Fidler 40); Jake Boer (capt), Andy Hazell, Junior Paramore (Peter Buxton 57).
Bench: Clive Stuart-Smith, Simon Amor, Robert Todd, Chris Collins, Andy Deacon, Rob Fidler, Peter Buxton.
London Wasps: Mark Van Gisbergen (Martyn Wood 77); Josh Lewsey(2T), Fraser Waters (Ayoola Erinle 28-34), Stuart Abbott (Mark Denney 69), Kenny Logan; Alex King(3C, 5PG, 1DG)(MoM) (Ayoola Erinle 40-HT), Rob Howley; Craig Dowd (Ali McKenzie 75), Trevor Leota (Phil Greening 62), Will Green; Simon Shaw (Peter Scrivener 74), Richard Birkett; Joe Worsley(1T), Paul Volley (Mark Lock 73), Lawrence Dallaglio (capt).
Bench: Martyn Wood, Phil Greening, Mark Denney, Ayoola Erinle, Mark Lock, Peter Scrivener, Ali McKenzie.
Scoring sequence: 2' Lewsey (T) 0-5, King (C) 0-7, 4' Mercier (PG) 3-7, 9' King (PG) 3-10, 12' King (PG) 3-13, 19' King (PG) 3-16, 40' Lewsey (T) 3-21, King (C) 3-23, 43' King (PG) 3-26, 46' King (DG) 3-29, 52' King (PG) 3-32, 70' Worsley (T) 3-37, King (C) 3-39.
Referee: Tony Spreadbury (England).
Attendance: 42,000.
29 MAY 2004
BATH RUGBY (3) 6, LONDON WASPS (0) 10 (Twickenham)
Bath Rugby: Mike Catt; Andrew Higgins, Robbie Fleck, Mike Tindall (Olly Barkley 78), Alex Crockett; Chris Malone(1PG, 1DG), Martyn Wood (Hentie Martens 79); David Barnes, Jonathan Humphreys (capt) (Lee Mears 56), Duncan Bell (Matt Stevens 49); Steve Borthwick, Danny Grewcock (Rob Fidler 79); Andy Beattie, Michael Lipman (James Scaysbrook 79), Zak Fea'unati.
Bench: Hentie Martens, Lee Mears, Matt Stevens, Olly Barkley, Wylie Human, James Scaysbrook, Rob Fidler.
London Wasps: Mark Van Gisbergen(1C); Josh Lewsey, Fraser Waters (Mark Denney 80), Stuart Abbott(1T) (Ayoola Erinle 27-35), Tom Voyce; Alex King(1DG), Rob Howley; Tim Payne, Trevor Leota (Ben Gotting 54), Will Green; Simon Shaw, Richard Birkett; Joe Worsley, Paul Volley, Lawrence Dallaglio (capt)(MoM).
Bench: Henry Nwume, Mark Lock, Ben Gotting, Martin Purdy, Peter Richards, Mark Denney, Ayoola Erinle.
Scoring sequence: 7' Malone (PG) 3-0, 41' King (DG) 3-3, 51' Malone (DG) 6-3, 64' Abbott (T) 6-8, Van Gisbergen (C) 6-10.
Referee: Chris White (England).
Attendance: 59,500.
14 MAY 2005
LEICESTER TIGERS (6) 14, LONDON WASPS (19) 39 (Twickenham)
Leicester Tigers: Sam Vesty; Geordan Murphy, Ollie Smith, Daryl Gibson, Leon Lloyd; Andy Goode(3PG), Harry Ellis; Darren Morris, George Chuter, Julian White; Martin Johnson (capt), Ben Kay; Louis Deacon, Neil Back, Martin Corry.
Bench: James Buckland, Graham Rowntree, Lewis Moody, Will Johnson, Scott Bemand(1T), Austin Healey, Alesana Tuilagi.
Replacements used: Bemand for Ellis 19, Rowntree for Morris 41, Moody for L.Deacon 41, Healey for Lloyd 51, Alesana Tuilagi for Vesty 69, Buckland for Chuter 75, W.Johnson for Kay 75.
London Wasps: Mark Van Gisbergen(1T, 3C, 5PG); Paul Sackey, Ayoola Erinle, Josh Lewsey, Tom Voyce(1T); Alex King(1DG), Matt Dawson; Tim Payne, Phil Greening, Will Green; Simon Shaw, Richard Birkett; John Hart, Joe Worsley, Lawrence Dallaglio (capt)(MoM).
Bench: Trevor Leota, Craig Dowd, Mark Lock, Martin Purdy, Warren Fury, James Brooks, Rob Hoadley(1T).
Replacements used: Leota for Greening 72, Dowd for Payne 72, Fury for Dawson 77, Hoadley for Voyce 77, Brooks for King 77, Lock for Hart 77, Purdy for Worsley 77.
Scoring sequence: 3' Van Gisbergen (PG) 0-3, 5' Voyce (T) 0-8, Van Gisbergen (C) 0-10, 8' King (DG) 0-13, 12' Goode (PG) 3-13, 27' Goode (PG) 6-13, 33' Van Gisbergen (PG) 6-16, 37' Van Gisbergen (PG) 6-19, 44' Van Gisbergen (PG) 6-22, 54' Goode (PG) 9-22, 70' Van Gisbergen (T) 9-27, Van Gisbergen (C) 9-29, 75' Van Gisbergen (PG) 9-32, 77' Bemand (T) 14-32, 78' Hoadley (T) 14-37, Van Gisbergen (C) 14-39.
Referee: Chris White (England)
Attendance: 66,000.
27 MAY 2006
SALE SHARKS (23) 45, LEICESTER TIGERS (10) 20 (Twickenham)
Sale Sharks: Jason Robinson (capt); Mark Cueto(1T), Mark Taylor, Elvis Seveali'i, Oriol Ripol Fortuny(1T); Charlie Hodgson(1C, 6PG, 1DG)(MoM), Richard Wigglesworth; Lionel Faure, Andy Titterrell, Stuart Turner; Chris Jones, Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe; Jason White, Magnus Lund(1T), Sebastien Chabal.
Bench: Sebastien Bruno, Barry Stewart, Dean Schofield, Christian Day, Ben Foden, Valentin Courrent(1C), Chris Mayor(1T).
Replacements used: Schofield for Fernandez Lobbe 41, Bruno for Titterrell 51, Stewart for Turner 51, Day for Chabal 66, Mayor for Taylor 67, Foden for Wigglesworth 74, Chabal for Jones 76, Courrent for Seveali'i 79.
Leicester Tigers: Geordan Murphy; Alesana Tuilagi, Ollie Smith, Daryl Gibson, Tom Varndell; Andy Goode(2C, 2PG), Harry Ellis; Graham Rowntree, George Chuter, Julian White; Leo Cullen, Ben Kay; Shane Jennings, Lewis Moody(1T), Martin Corry (capt).
Bench: James Buckland, Michael Holford, James Hamilton(1T), Louis Deacon, Austin Healey, Leon Lloyd, Sam Vesty.
Replacements used: Vesty for Alesana Tuilagi 46, L.Deacon for Jennings 51, Healey for Ellis 51, Hamilton for Cullen 54, Holford for Rowntree 59, Buckland for Chuter 62, Lloyd for Smith 64.
Scoring sequence: 3' Hodgson (PG) 3-0, 8' Cueto (T) 8-0, 9' Moody (T) 8-5, Goode (C) 8-7, 17' Lund (T) 13-7, 31' Hodgson (PG) 16-7, 36' Goode (PG) 16-10, 40' Ripol (T) 21-10, Hodgson (C) 23-10, 43' Goode (PG) 23-13, 45' Hodgson (PG) 26-13, 48' Hodgson (PG) 29-13, 63' Hodgson (PG) 32-13, 70' Hodgson (DG) 35-13, 74' Hamilton (T) 35-18, Goode (C) 35-20, 78' Hodgson (PG) 38-20, 80' Mayor (T) 43-20, Courrent (C) 45-20.
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Attendance: 58,000.
12 MAY 2007
GLOUCESTER RUGBY (6) 16, LEICESTER TIGERS (22) 44 (Twickenham)
Gloucester Rugby: Willie Walker(1C, 3PG); Iain Balshaw, James Simpson-Daniel, Anthony Allen, Mark Foster; Ryan Lamb(1T), Peter Richards; Nick Wood, Olivier Azam, Carlos Nieto; Will James, Alex Brown; Peter Buxton (capt), Andy Hazell, Luke Narraway.
Bench: Mefin Davies, Christian Califano, Adam Eustace, Jake Boer, Rory Lawson, Jack Adams, Jon Goodridge.
Replacements used: Boer for Buxton 15, Davies for Azam 48, Lawson for Richards 53, Califano for Wood 55, Eustace for James 78.
Leicester Tigers: Geordan Murphy; Seru Rabeni, Dan Hipkiss, Ollie Smith, Alesana Tuilagi(2T)(MoM); Andy Goode(1T, 3C, 1PG), Frank Murphy(1T); Marcos Ivan Ayerza, George Chuter, Julian White; Louis Deacon, Ben Kay; Lewis Moody(1T), Shane Jennings(1T), Martin Corry (capt)(1T).
Bench: James Buckland, Alex Moreno, Leo Cullen, Brett Deacon, Ben Youngs, Sam Vesty, Tom Varndell.
Replacements used: Cullen for L.Deacon 56, Vesty for Smith 58, Varndell for Rabeni 63, Moreno for White 67, Youngs for F.Murphy 67, Buckland for Chuter 70, B.Deacon for Jennings 70.
Scoring sequence: 5' Walker (PG) 3-0, 10' F.Murphy (T) 3-5, Goode (C) 3-7, 24' Walker (PG) 6-7, 32' A.Tuilagi (T) 6-12, 35' Goode (PG) 6-15, 39' Corry (T) 6-20, Goode (C) 6-22, 43' Walker (PG) 9-22, 45' Goode (T) 9-27, 52' A.Tuilagi (T) 9-32, Goode (C) 9-34, 64' Jennings (T) 9-39, 66' Lamb (T) 14-39, Walker (C) 16-39, 79' Moody (T) 16-44.
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Attendance: 59,400.
GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP FINAL FACTFILE
• This season's Premiership final is the first not to be contested by the top two teams in the league table: London Wasps finished 2nd and Leicester Tigers 4th. Only one number one seeded club has ever won the Premiership final - Sale Sharks in 2005/06.
• Just two players have scored two tries in a single Premiership final: Josh Lewsey for Wasps against Gloucester in 2003, and Alesana Tuilagi for Leicester against Gloucester last year.
• The most points by an individual in a single final is 26 by Mark van Gisbergen from a try, 3 conversions and 5 penalty goals in the 2005 encounter with Leicester.
• Only one player has served time in the sinbin at a Premiership final: when Tony Spreadbury sent Andy Gomarsall (Gloucester) there during the 2003 final
• The fastest try in a Premiership final was two minutes scored by Josh Lewsey for Wasps in 2003.
• There has been a total of five dropped goals scored in a Premiership final; Wasps Alex King has scored three of those (one each in his three finals), the others were kicked by Bath's Chris Malone in 2004, and Sale's Charlie Hodgson in 2006.
• The youngest player to play in the final is Ben Youngs who was aged just 17 years 249 days when he came on as a 67th minute replacement for Leicester during last season's final, whilst the youngest starter is Adrian Garvey for Gloucester aged 20 years 40 days in 2003.
• At the other end of the spectrum the oldest finalist is Leicester's Neil Back, who was aged 36 at the 2005 final, although Andy Deacon of Gloucester would have been even older had he taken to the field from the replacements bench during the 2003 final.
• Just two players have appeared in a Premiership final for different clubs: Rob Fidler for Gloucester in 2003 and Bath in 2004, and Martyn Wood for Wasps in 2003 and Bath in 2004. Gloucester's Peter Richards was a bench replacement against Bath in 2004 but did not get onto the pitch.
• The lead has changed hands on just two occasions in Previous Premiership finals: in 2004 Bath had been leading 6-3 after 64 minutes when Stuart Abbott scored a try to give Wasps the title, and last season Gloucester's Willie Walker had given his side an early 3-0 lead after just five minutes until five minutes later a Frank Murphy try took the Tigers ahead - Leicester were not caught again!
• Lawrence Dallaglio is the only player to have picked up two Man of the Match awards in Premiership finals, doing so in 2004 and 2005. The other players to have won the award being Alex King (Wasps 2003), Charlie Hodgson (Sale 2006) and Alesana Tuilagi (Leicester 2007).