Saracens' director of rugby Mark McCall hailed the character of his players after they hung on for glory against Leicester at Twickenham.
Sarries boss delighted with Premiership crown
Saracens' director of rugby Mark McCall hailed the character of his players after they hung on for glory against Leicester at Twickenham.
McCall watched his side avenge last year's defeat to the Tigers with a 22-18 triumph, despite an enormous late effort from the out-going champions, who ran through 28 phases in 10 stoppage-time minutes.
However, he insists they must now build on their success.
"For the first hour of the match we were in control, I think in some ways it was fitting that it ended in that way to defend three or four minutes showed our character and how much they work for each other," he said.
"We want to be here every year and we want to be like Leicester because they are a great club.
"Two years ago we said it was going to be about bringing a group of people together, creating friendships and creating memories.
"You have to like each other and back each other up. You have to fight and fight.
"We have a brilliant squad of players and a brilliant guiding system above them. Had we lost today, it would have been hard to take but we would have coped with it.
"We hope today is the start of something, not the end of something. We've been here twice in a row and we want to be there at the business end of every season.
"We're a club that's growing and had we conceded a try in the last minute we would still have been going places."
Flanker flanker Jacques Burger admitted last year's final was on his mind as Tigers poured the pressure on in the closing stages.
"It was an amazing game, Leicester came at us the whole time but we were happy. I can't lie it (last year) did go through my head, it would have been heartbreaking if there was a repeat of last year," he said.
Mistakes
"You learn from your mistakes and last year we learned you can't give a good team like Leicester one minute."
Andy Farrell, Saracens' coach and father of Owen, praised the hard work the squad put in to achieve such success and also acknowledged the work of the board.
He said: "Obviously I'm proud as a father but even more so as a coach. These boys have worked unbelievably hard over two years.
"There are a lot of board members who have been here and it has been a long time coming, they put their heart and soul into this club."
Farrell jnr, who kicked five penalty goals during the match and admitted he was delighted to win the showpiece final.
"I'm lost for words, to come here at this special place and do that, it is unbelievable," he said. "I'd like to say I did them as any other kick but it is not the same here."
And McCall is well aware he has a special talent on his hands.
"Every time that a new challenge has been presented to Owen he's risen to it," added the Sarries boss.
"For a guy one year out of school to play with that kind of composure and control against opposition as good as that is remarkable.
"Possibly they tried to rattle him, but he's a good defender and he doesn't mind mixing it up.
"Like everyone else he makes mistakes, but for a 19-year-old he has an unbelievable ability to put those mistakes to one side and do the next job. When you have that ability you are going to go places."
Chances
Leicester coach Richard Cockerill admitted that Saracens were the deserved winners of the final.
"We had our chances to win it but they played well - we found it hard to break them down and they scored the only try so it is disappointing," he told ESPN.
"I think they hit us hard and opened holes in us. You have to give them credit, they probably deserved to win today," he said.
Despite ending the season empty-handed Cockerill refused to label the campaign a failure.
"It is disappointing but it is not a failure. We were very close in Europe and we lost by four today and we could have won it. Saracens take the spoils and you can't argue with that.
"We have lots of young players and guys coming through, we have had bad injuries but still done really well," he added.
