Leicester v Saracens: Teams

Leicester head coach Richard Cockerill believes there will be little to choose between the Tigers and Saracens in the Guinness Premiership final on Saturday.

The Tigers head to Twickenham as favourites after finishing the season on top of the table, having beaten Bath in the semi-finals and featured in the five previous finals.

However after a mid-season blip, Saracens finished the season in scintillating form as they toppled Northampton twice at Franklin's Gardens and saw off Leicester themselves at Welford Road.

And Cockerill knows his side cannot afford to make any mistakes if they are to secure back-to-back crowns.

"There are two very good teams in the final and it will come down to the team that makes the fewest mistakes, takes their chances and manages to put the pressure on the opposition," said Cockerill.

"Saracens are well drilled, well disciplined and they don't give much away. To win twice at Northampton and also at Leicester in the last weeks of the season shows the kind of side they are.

"Finals are big days out for everybody and the enthusiasm to go out there on the big day is as big as ever for us. We're looking forward to it."

Cockerill has made just one change to his squad for the match, with England centre Dan Hipkiss recalled on the bench.

Culture

Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter believes his side have proved they have quality to finally lift the Premiership title.

Sarries will be appearing in their first play-off final, however Venter - who will be absent from Twickenham due to his touchline ban - has no doubt his side can rise to the occasion, although he admits it will not be easy against the Tigers.

"We've said before that Leicester is the one club in England that we look up to in the way they do things and the culture they've created," said Venter.

"But in saying that, we are also creating our own culture. We've come a long way this season in building a culture that all of us are very proud of. That culture is based on our own characteristics that we want in people.

"It will be a tough encounter on Saturday - but we know what the challenge in front of us is going to be like. But we also know that this team can get results and we have proved it by beating Northampton and Leicester away."

England captain Steve Borthwick returns to the side for the clash, having been sidelined since March with tendinitis in the knee.

And Venter believes Borthwick will have a big impact on his side, saying: "It's fantastic to have such a world-class lock back in the mix.

"Steve will start because he's trained really well with us. The over-riding thing for me is to get such a special rugby player onto the pitch. We're very happy to have him back and it will be good for the team."

Leicester: 15 Geordan Murphy (capt), 14 Scott Hamilton, 13 Matt Smith, 12 Anthony Allen, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Toby Flood, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Jordan Crane, 7 Lewis Moody, 6 Tom Croft, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Louis Deacon, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 George Chuter, 1 Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: 16 Joe Duffey, 17 Dan Cole, 18 Boris Stankovich, 19 Craig Newby, 20 Ben Woods, 21 James Grindal, 22 Jeremy Staunton, 23 Dan Hipkiss.

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Michael Tagicakibau, 13 Adam Powell, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Glen Jackson, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Ernst Joubert (capt), 7 Andy Saull, 6 Jacques Burger, 5 Hugh Vyvyan, 4 Steve Borthwick, 3 Petrus du Plessis, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Matias Aguero.
Replacements: 16 Fabio Ongaro, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Richard Skuse, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Justin Melck, 21 Justin Marshall, 22 Derick Hougaard, 23 Kameli Ratuvou.