Visionary Farrell put us back on track, says Tompkins

OWEN FARRELL sat the Saracens squad down and told the players they needed to change. The club talisman set out a new vision to his team-mates — and, within minutes, they were all on board.

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The meeting happened on the first day of pre-season training, ahead of a campaign in which Saracens have topped the Gallagher Premiership table with room to spare.

It formed the considered, meticulous response to last term’s last-gasp 15-12 Premiership Final defeat by Leicester.

Tomorrow, Saracens will hope to bring that change to bear when they host Northampton at StoneX Stadium in the north Londoners’ 13th Premiership semi-final.

An expanded attacking blueprint devised between coaches and senior pros has delivered devastating results and thrilling rugby — and Wales centre Nick Tompkins believes Saracens have not looked back since.

“When you win a final, what happens next takes care of itself,” Tompkins told Standard Sport.

“When you lose, you still enjoy a chance to unwind, but you can’t lie, it doesn’t feel as great, it’s a bit depressing.

“But as soon as we got in for our first meeting in pre-season, Owen sat us down and spoke to us about how we needed to have a different vision, that we needed to change.