“Proud. Emotional. Gutted.”
In three words, Leicester Tigers icon Ben Youngs summed up what it meant to finish his illustrious rugby union career with a narrow Premiership Grand Final defeat by Bath.
England’s most capped male player of all time came off the bench to replace his Tigers and international successor Jack van Poortvliet with 26 minutes remaining.
The ingenuity and influence that has been the hallmark of nearly two decades of Youngs at scrum-half for Tigers was instrumental in getting them so close to glory.
But ultimately, they were overcome 23-21 by a Bath side that lifted the trophy for the first time in 29 years.
“It hurts, but I’m proud,” Youngs told BBC Radio Leicester.
For fellow retiree and Tigers icon Dan Cole, who is second only to Youngs for England caps, his last game will live in infamy.
Less than six minutes after the prop was brought on, he was sin-binned for clattering into Finn Russell when attempting to charge down a kick in the 69th minute.
It allowed Russell to tee up the kick that sealed Bath’s victory, even though a converted Emeka Ilione try soon after set up a tense finish.
In a gruelling match on a draining, sun-soaked day, the late yellow card had Tigers down a man for a second time.
Before the break, it was another departing player in captain Julian Montoya who spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin for a high tackle on Ted Hill.
And while it was a loss that also marked the end of Michael Cheika’s one-year reign at the helm of the East Midlands club, the decorated head coach could only reflect on what the loss meant to those Tigers greats on their way out.
“I just feel disappointed and sorry that I didn’t prepare the guys in a good enough way to get them what they deserved today,” the Australian said.
“I love this group of guys, and love the club and I’m so proud of the players for the way they stayed in it right to the end.
“We gave ourselves a chance to win it right at the end, but unfortunately it didn’t go our way.”
With two-time World Cup winning South African fly-half Handre Pollard also moving on in the summer, the decider was seen as the “last dance” for an all-star ensemble of players.
Pollard’s high-profile three years at Mattioli Woods Welford Road ended empty-handed but he said that lack of silverware paled in comparison to what Tigers failed to accomplish for two of the club’s finest-ever servants.
“It’s very disappointing, and not so much about losing the game and the trophy but it’s more about sending Ben Youngs and Dan Cole and those guys off with a loss in the final,” Pollard said.
“That’s the one that gets you.
“We’ll have great memories with this team and I’ve enjoyed every minute.”
As for Youngs, who spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live after the match with his children and other family crowded around him, missing out on a sixth Premiership title will not stop him cherishing one of English rugby’s greatest careers.
“The ink is dry, I’m proud of my contribution and I’ll miss it,” he said.
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