The Irishman was called up on Sunday to replace Dylan Hartley, who was banned for abusing a referee, and it would not be surprising to find Best edging out Wales’s Richard Hibbard and Tom Youngs of England for the number two jersey in the first of the three tests against Australia on June 22.

Warren Gatland and his fellow coaches have a desperately compressed period to get to know everyone in the 37-man squad, more than a dozen of whom joined up only last weekend after their involvement in domestic cup competitions.

The first game is against the Barbarians in Hong Kong on Saturday, when the late arrivals will not be considered, and there are then only five matches for Gatland to settle on his preferred starting XV for the Brisbane opener.

Getting those selections right and then getting the combinations to gel remains the greatest challenge for a Lions coach but also encapsulates some of the touring side’s enduring appeal because every fan has his opinion about who should play.

The history of the Lions is littered with examples of long-shots and injury replacements who became team stalwarts as the coaches discover previously untested combinations in a month of intensive training.

When the squad was announced a month ago, around eight to 10 names appeared in most pundits’ likely test team.

But even if the first-test team follows expectations, it is almost guaranteed that the team for the second will look different. If the trend of recent series continues, the side for the third will have a host of new names as the bruising encounters take their toll.

TRADITIONALLY UNDER-COOKED

Gatland can now focus only on the first test and he knows the Lions traditionally arrive under-cooked – as evidenced by a paltry return of two victories in the last nine series’ openers.

One of those came against Australia in 2001, only for the hosts to hit back to take the series 2-1.

Centre Brian O’Driscoll, who scored a memorable try in that crushing Brisbane victory in 2001, is the only survivor from the series and his class and experience mean he is likely to be involved again back in the same city.

Fellow centre Jamie Roberts, whose battering-ram runs made him one of the stand-outs of the 2009 tour of South Africa, would give the Lions a mighty midfield, augmented by Mike Phillips, one of the most physical scrumhalves in the game.

George North and Alex Cuthbert start favourites for the wing berths, with fullback Leigh Halfpenny – superb in the Six Nations – potentially completing an all-Welsh back three.

Jonny Sexton looks somewhat lightweight in comparison but can hold his own while Owen Farrell, his only rival for the flyhalf berth, loves the big hit as much as Jonny Wilkinson did before him.

Wilkinson, who signs off his domestic season for Toulon in the French Top 14 final on Saturday, is on standby as injury cover and it would surprise nobody if the Englishman were to find himself playing a role in the test series.

Lions captain and flanker Sam Warburton is probably the only forward certain of his test spot with the back-row combination anyone’s guess from a deep pool of quality including Toby Faletau, Jamie Heaslip, Dan Lydiate, Sean O’Brien, Justin Tipuric and Tom Croft.

Gatland is a huge fan of lock Alun Wyn Jones while the timely return to form of Paul O’Connell, who captained the Lions in South Africa, might sway the coach in his favour.

Likewise the tough-to-predict prop selection could well be influenced by who is favoured inside and behind them, though Welshman Adam Jones will take some shifting.

With the modern game relying so much on “impact replacements” Gatland’s bench selections will also involve delicate calculations, perhaps opening the door for the “x-factor” types such as Scottish backs Stuart Hogg and Sean Maitland, and England centre Manu Tuilagi.

In 1997 the hookers came to blows more than once in feisty training sessions – a situation welcomed at the time by the Lions management – and this year’s trio will no doubt be similarly committed in what looks a wide open contest. (Editing by Robert Woodward)

The incident, at the end of the first half in front of almost 82,000 fans at Twickenham, was the first red card in a Premiership final but Hartley has claimed his expletive-led accusation was aimed at Tom Youngs, his opposite number and rival for the Lions jersey, and not referee Wayne Barnes.

Hartley had already been warned by Barnes for speaking out of turn. Clearly audible on the “reflink” devices available to all fans in the ground, Barnes said that a repeat of any abuse he felt to be aimed at him would lead to “further action” and told the New Zealand-born hooker he was not behaving like a captain.

Five minutes later there was a confusing spell when Northampton flyhalf Stephen Myler kicked directly into touch to try to bring the half to a close, despite being told clearly by Barnes, three times, that he could not do so.

A scrum ensued, which led to a Leicester penalty. As the players disentangled Hartley delivered the key “cheat” phrase, preceded by an expletive, and was immediately red-carded.

Barnes then spoke to Tom Wood, who assumed the captaincy, telling the England flanker: “He called me a cheat and he leaves the field.”

Down to 14 men against the pre-match favourites, Northampton fought back impressively in the second half, scoring two excellent tries, but they eventually succumbed and Leicester took their 10th title.

Hartley now almost certainly faces a ban that will rob him of his place with the Lions, who fly to Hong Kong on Monday ahead of their three-test tour of Australia.

ABUSIVE OUTBURST

However, Northampton coach Jim Mallinder claimed the abusive outburst had not been aimed at the referee, giving Hartley a glimmer of hope at his disciplinary hearing, which could be convened as early as Sunday.

“I asked Dylan at halftime and again just now and he said he was talking to Tom Youngs,” Mallinder told reporters.

“If you talk like that to another player you wouldn’t expect that to happen. Wayne believed he’d spoken to him but if Dylan says he was talking to the player on the floor then I support what he says.

“He said a number of the senior players who were around him agreed that he was looking down and talking to Tom Youngs.

“There will be a hearing and they’ll see whether they believe him or not.”

The minimum ban for abusing an official is six weeks, ruling Hartley out of Lions contention, and he is unlikely to earn much of a reprieve for previous good behaviour.

He was given a two-week ban earlier this season for striking Rory Best, having served eight weeks for biting last year. Six years ago he was given a 26-week ban for eye-gouging which ruled him out of the 2007 World Cup.

“He’s the heartbeat of our club,” Wood said. “He wears his heart on his sleeve, he plays on the edge that’s what makes Dylan Dylan.”

Leicester coach Richard Cockerill, one of the fiercest and most verbal hookers ever to take the field, had little sympathy.

“We spoke all week about discipline and yellow cards, we know Barnes likes to be treated with respect,” he said.

“He’s a very experienced referee and there’s enough history between Leicester and Northampton to know that you have to keep control.”

Cockerill was more concerned about the failure to punish Courtney Lawes for the first of two tackles that virtually folded Leicester flyhalf Toby Flood in two and ended his involvement after 24 minutes.

“Surely you need to go to TMO (TV match official)?” he said. “It’s late and foul play, it’s a penalty, for me that’s a yellow card or potentially more. Is it ok to hit players late and have them leave the field concussed?

“I’m disappointed that we’re talking about these things because after coming here and losing a few times this is a great victory.”

(Editing by Editing by Ed Osmond; mark.meadows@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 7933; Reuters Messaging:; mark.meadows.reuters.com@reuters.net)

The incident, at the end of the first half in front of almost 82,000 fans at Twickenham, was the first red card in a Premiership final but Hartley has claimed his expletive-led accusation was aimed at Tom Youngs, his opposite number and rival for the Lions jersey, and not referee Wayne Barnes.

Hartley had already been warned by Barnes for speaking out of turn. Clearly audible on the “reflink” devices available to all fans in the ground, Barnes said that a repeat of any abuse he felt to be aimed at him would lead to “further action” and told the New Zealand-born hooker he was not behaving like a captain.

Five minutes later there was a confusing spell when Northampton flyhalf Stephen Myler kicked directly into touch to try to bring the half to a close, despite being told clearly by Barnes, three times, that he could not do so.

A scrum ensued, which led to a Leicester penalty. As the players disentangled Hartley delivered the key “cheat” phrase, preceded by an expletive, and was immediately red-carded.

Barnes then spoke to Tom Wood, who assumed the captaincy, telling the England flanker: “He called me a cheat and he leaves the field.”

Down to 14 men against the pre-match favourites, Northampton fought back impressively in the second half, scoring two excellent tries, but they eventually succumbed and Leicester took their 10th title.

Hartley now almost certainly faces a ban that will rob him of his place with the Lions, who fly to Hong Kong on Monday ahead of their three-test tour of Australia.

ABUSIVE OUTBURST

However, Northampton coach Jim Mallinder claimed the abusive outburst had not been aimed at the referee, giving Hartley a glimmer of hope at his disciplinary hearing, which could be convened as early as Sunday.

“I asked Dylan at halftime and again just now and he said he was talking to Tom Youngs,” Mallinder told reporters.

“If you talk like that to another player you wouldn’t expect that to happen. Wayne believed he’d spoken to him but if Dylan says he was talking to the player on the floor then I support what he says.

“He said a number of the senior players who were around him agreed that he was looking down and talking to Tom Youngs.

“There will be a hearing and they’ll see whether they believe him or not.”

The minimum ban for abusing an official is six weeks, ruling Hartley out of Lions contention, and he is unlikely to earn much of a reprieve for previous good behaviour.

He was given a two-week ban earlier this season for striking Rory Best, having served eight weeks for biting last year. Six years ago he was given a 26-week ban for eye-gouging which ruled him out of the 2007 World Cup.

“He’s the heartbeat of our club,” Wood said. “He wears his heart on his sleeve, he plays on the edge that’s what makes Dylan Dylan.”

Leicester coach Richard Cockerill, one of the fiercest and most verbal hookers ever to take the field, had little sympathy.

“We spoke all week about discipline and yellow cards, we know Barnes likes to be treated with respect,” he said.

“He’s a very experienced referee and there’s enough history between Leicester and Northampton to know that you have to keep control.”

Cockerill was more concerned about the failure to punish Courtney Lawes for the first of two tackles that virtually folded Leicester flyhalf Toby Flood in two and ended his involvement after 24 minutes.

“Surely you need to go to TMO (TV match official)?” he said. “It’s late and foul play, its a penalty, for me that’s a yellow card or potentially more. Is it ok to hit players late and have them leave the field concussed?

“I’m disappointed that we’re talking about these things because after coming here and losing a few times this is a great victory.”

(Editing by Editing by Ed Osmond; mark.meadows@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 7933; Reuters Messaging:; mark.meadows.reuters.com@reuters.net)

Leicester, appearing in a ninth successive final but who had lost their last two, had the early advantage with a Niall Morris try but the game turned in their favour when England hooker Hartley was shown a straight red near the end of the first half after the referee said he had sworn and called him a “cheat”.

Northampton fought back superbly with tries by Ben Foden and Lee Dickson to briefly threaten a shock win but Leicester, already ahead through Graham Kitchener’s score, pulled clear against the tiring 14 men with tries by Manu Tuilagi and Vereniki Goneva.

Leicester were guided through by 20-year-old replacement flyhalf George Ford, who was thrown into the fray when England number 10 Toby Flood went off injured.

“It was a big ask for Fordy to come on after only 20 minutes but he’s stepped up all season when Toby Flood has been away with England and today he has put in a massive performance,” Leicester centre Anthony Allen told the BBC.

“We’re champions and I’m just so proud.”

SEVEN WINS

Leicester came into the game on the back of seven successive victories over their old rivals and, after looking the more purposeful side in the early exchanges, great work by Flood set up Morris for an easy run in for the opening try.

Northampton hit back with a score by flyhalf Stephen Myler and then seemed to receive another boost when Leicester captain and flyhalf Flood had to leave the action after taking two thunderous hits from lock Courtney Lawes.

A scintillating 60 metre break by fullback Matt Tait helped earn Leicester another three points but Northampton responded well again, only for the video official to rule out Foden’s effort for a foot in touch.

The game was then effectively settled in three mad minutes at the end of the first half.

With 40 minutes on the clock referee Wayne Barnes advised Myler that he could not kick directly into touch to end the half – but he did so anyway.

Barnes then called a scrum, and it produced a penalty for Leicester. Hartley had been warned five minutes earlier about the way he was speaking to the referee, when he was told, “If I thought that was directed at me I would have to take action” and warned, “That is not the way a captain speaks”.

But after the scrum penalty he then mouthed an expletive followed by “cheat” and Barnes showed a straight red.

Hartley, who has a chequered disciplinary history, trudged off knowing he had not only seriously harmed his team’s chances but also probably blown his hopes of being on the plane with the British and Irish Lions on Monday.

Replacement flyhalf Ford rubbed salt into the wound by slotting the penalty to secure Leicester a 16-5 halftime lead.

NORTHAMPTON RALLY

Northampton came out firing after the break and immediately scored an excellent try through Foden but Leicester doused the fire and restored their 11-point lead when lock Kitchener galloped 15 metres to touch down in the corner.

Northampton refused to lie down, though, with Dickson crossing for their third try to again close the gap.

Leicester, despite the vast international experience in their side, began to appear nervy and a shock looked on the cards before a searing break by Tuilagi delivered their third try and winger Goneva put the icing on the cake with a fourth.

“We’ve been to the final lots of times now and we’ve lost a fair few, so this year we really wanted to win it,” scrumhalf Ben Youngs told ESPN.

“Sometimes we’ve saved our worst performances for the finals so this year we wanted to get it right and I think we did.”

(Editing by Mark Meadows and Josh Reich)

Leicester, appearing in a ninth successive final but who had lost their last two, had the early advantage with a Niall Morris try but the game turned in their favour when England hooker Hartley was shown a straight red near the end of the first half after the referee said he had sworn and called him a “cheat”.

Northampton fought back superbly with tries by Ben Foden and Lee Dickson to briefly threaten a shock win but Leicester, already ahead through Graham Kitchener’s score, pulled clear against the tiring 14 men with tries by Manu Tuilagi and Vereniki Goneva.

Leicester were guided through by 20-year-old replacement flyhalf George Ford, who was thrown into the fray when England number 10 Toby Flood went off injured.

“It was a big ask for Fordy to come on after only 20 minutes but he’s stepped up all season when Toby Flood has been away with England and today he has put in a massive performance,” Leicester centre Anthony Allen told the BBC.

“We’re champions and I’m just so proud.”

SEVEN WINS

Leicester came into the game on the back of seven successive victories over their old rivals and, after looking the more purposeful side in the early exchanges, great work by Flood set up Morris for an easy run in for the opening try.

Northampton hit back with a score by flyhalf Stephen Myler and then seemed to receive another boost when Leicester captain and flyhalf Flood had to leave the action after taking two thunderous hits from lock Courtney Lawes.

A scintillating 60 metre break by fullback Matt Tait helped earn Leicester another three points but Northampton responded well again, only for the video official to rule out Foden’s effort for a foot in touch.

The game was then effectively settled in three mad minutes at the end of the first half.

With 40 minutes on the clock referee Wayne Barnes advised Myler that he could not kick directly into touch to end the half – but he did so anyway.

Barnes then called a scrum, and it produced a penalty for Leicester. Hartley had been warned five minutes earlier about the way he was speaking to the referee, when he was told, “If I thought that was directed at me I would have to take action” and warned, “That is not the way a captain speaks”.

But after the scrum penalty he then mouthed an expletive followed by “cheat” and Barnes showed a straight red.

Hartley, who has a chequered disciplinary history, trudged off knowing he had not only seriously harmed his team’s chances but also probably blown his hopes of being on the plane with the British and Irish Lions on Monday.

Replacement flyhalf Ford rubbed salt into the wound by slotting the penalty to secure Leicester a 16-5 halftime lead.

NORTHAMPTON RALLY

Northampton came out firing after the break and immediately scored an excellent try through Foden but Leicester doused the fire and restored their 11-point lead when lock Kitchener galloped 15 metres to touch down in the corner.

Northampton refused to lie down, though, with Dickson crossing for their third try to again close the gap.

Leicester, despite the vast international experience in their side, began to appear nervy and a shock looked on the cards before a searing break by Tuilagi delivered their third try and winger Goneva put the icing on the cake with a fourth.

“We’ve been to the final lots of times now and we’ve lost a fair few, so this year we really wanted to win it,” scrumhalf Ben Youngs told ESPN.

“Sometimes we’ve saved our worst performances for the finals so this year we wanted to get it right and I think we did.” (Editing by Mark Meadows and Josh Reich)

Players involved in the British and Irish Lions tour and Saturday’s Premiership final between Leicester and Northampton were not available for the non-cap match (1200GMT) and coach Stuart Lancaster has used the situation to have a look at many of the youngsters knocking on the door of the senior team.

Both wingers are uncapped as Christian Wade, who on Wednesday was voted player of the year and young player of the year by his fellow Premiership professionals, starts on the right and London Irish’s Marland Yarde on the left.

Flanker Matt Kvesic is the other uncapped starter in a team captained by Bath hooker Rob Webber. Attacking flyhalf Freddie Burns starts and razor-fast Gloucester back Jonny May is among the replacements, giving a real fizz to the squad.

Mike Brown, Joe Launchbury and Alex Corbisiero add experience but the starting XV still boasts nine players aged 24 or under.

“We’ve selected a young and exciting side and this is a great opportunity for these players who have shone in the Premiership this season to step up in front of passionate home crowd at Twickenham,” Lancaster said in a statement.

“Taking on a very experienced Barbarians team is the first challenge they face this summer with matches in Uruguay and Argentina to follow and this sequence of games is a key part of our development as a team.”

England team: 15-Mike Brown, 14-Christian Wade, 13-Jonathan Joseph, 12-Billy Twelvetrees, 11-Marland Yarde, 10-Freddie Burns, 9-Richard Wigglesworth, 8-Ben Morgan, 7-Matt Kvesic, 6-Tom Johnson 5-Dave Attwood, 4-Joe Launchbury, 3-David Wilson, 2-Rob Webber (captain), 1-Alex Corbisiero.

Replacements: 16-David Paice, 17-Joe Marler, 18-Henry Thomas, 19-Kearnan Myall, 20-Billy Vunipola, 21-Haydn Thomas, 22-Jonny May, 23 Kyle Eastmond.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

Players involved in the British and Irish Lions tour and Saturday’s Premiership final between Leicester and Northampton were not available for the non-cap match (1200GMT) and coach Stuart Lancaster has used the situation to have a look at many of the youngsters knocking on the door of the senior team.

Both wingers are uncapped as Christian Wade, who on Wednesday was voted player of the year and young player of the year by his fellow Premiership professionals, starts on the right and London Irish’s Marland Yarde on the left.

Flanker Matt Kvesic is the other uncapped starter in a team captained by Bath hooker Rob Webber. Attacking flyhalf Freddie Burns starts and razor-fast Gloucester back Jonny May is among the replacements, giving a real fizz to the squad.

Mike Brown, Joe Launchbury and Alex Corbisiero add experience but the starting XV still boasts nine players aged 24 or under.

“We’ve selected a young and exciting side and this is a great opportunity for these players who have shone in the Premiership this season to step up in front of passionate home crowd at Twickenham,” Lancaster said in a statement.

“Taking on a very experienced Barbarians team is the first challenge they face this summer with matches in Uruguay and Argentina to follow and this sequence of games is a key part of our development as a team.”

England team: 15-Mike Brown, 14-Christian Wade, 13-Jonathan Joseph, 12-Billy Twelvetrees, 11-Marland Yarde, 10-Freddie Burns, 9-Richard Wigglesworth, 8-Ben Morgan, 7-Matt Kvesic, 6-Tom Johnson 5-Dave Attwood, 4-Joe Launchbury, 3-David Wilson, 2-Rob Webber (captain), 1-Alex Corbisiero.

Replacements: 16-David Paice, 17-Joe Marler, 18-Henry Thomas, 19-Kearnan Myall, 20-Billy Vunipola, 21-Haydn Thomas, 22-Jonny May, 23 Kyle Eastmond.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

Yet, when the Bayern Munich winger bears down the right in Saturday’s Champions League final, Borussia Dortmund’s defenders, if they follow in the misdirected footsteps of so many before them, will still, inexplicably, allow the Dutchman to switch the ball on to his favoured left foot and turn a usually benign situation into a potentially critical one.

Robben’s right foot was once described as being “made of chocolate” by compatriot Johan Cruyff and is still so ineffective that any Sunday league full back, let alone the cream of the world’s defenders, would know to focus their entire strategy on forcing him to use it.

The number of times he hits the byline and successfully crosses with his right foot is roughly comparable to the 29-year-old’s total active hair follicles – not many – while statistics produced by Prozone show that almost 80 percent of his shots are with his left.

Yet, time and time again, having feinted to go outside, Robben is somehow given the space to cut in. Too often the end result is that the ball sails into the top tier behind the goal but, as he has matured, the manoeuvre now more often leads to a dangerous pass or a fierce, left-footed, attempt on goal.

If the world’s television watchers have managed to identify this familiar routine, then clearly leading coaches and players are aware of it too. So why is he still so often allowed to venture into the one place he wants to go instead of being ushered down a generally blind alley?

He has quick feet, wonderful control and critically explosive speed over the first two or three metres so that even when defenders are expecting the move they are sometimes unable to counter it, but there is very little deception about what he does.

“QUICK AND CLEVER”

The process leaves many experienced observers shaking their heads in frustration every time his all-too-familiar “trick” comes off.

“If the defender is doing his job properly of course you can stop him cutting inside but they have to really concentrate because he is so quick and clever,” former England manager Terry Venables told Reuters.

“Once he goes inside, the opposition are in danger – the secret is staying close. It’s as simple as that, the defender must stay tight, then you can stop him – just as Inter Milan did in the Champions League final three years ago.”

Paolo Maldini, one of the best left backs to grace the game, said the problem was part of a general falling away in the quality of defending.

“I believe that great defenders are so rare now. Every great team in Europe is good attacking but very bad defensively, including the great teams in the Champions League,” the former Italy and AC Milan stalwart told Reuters.

“The mentality is attack, attack and so that is why maybe the fullbacks are so focused on attacking. The knowledge of the people who teach you how to defend is not so high and you are now seeing the results.”

Robben fans will point to the semi-final first-leg victory over Barcelona as evidence that he is not a one-trick pony, as he did indeed go past Jordi Alba on the outside.

However, he did so with the aid of an American football-style body check by Thomas Mueller to take Alba out of the picture, and subsequently ended up with enough time and space to slot the ball in with his left.

There is more to his all-round game these days too and he was almost maniacal in his first-leg work-rate against Barcelona, chasing and harrying for every minute in the clinical 4-0 home win.

Maybe, having suffered from yet another injury and a subsequent long-term absence from Bayern’s first team, he is just taking full advantage of being back in the frame and the worst of his diving, histrionics and selfish choices might be behind him.

His performance will certainly be central to Bayern’s prospects on Saturday, when the man marking him will be Marcel Schmelzer.

If the German international has done his homework and manages to keep Robben glued to his chocolate side then it could well be a sweet night for Dortmund.

(Additional reporting by Mike Collett and Simon Evans; Editing by Clare Fallon)

Yet, when the Bayern Munich winger bears down the right in Saturday’s Champions League final, Borussia Dortmund’s defenders, if they follow in the misdirected footsteps of so many before them, will still, inexplicably, allow the Dutchman to switch the ball on to his favoured left foot and turn a usually benign situation into a potentially critical one.

Robben’s right foot was once described as being “made of chocolate” by compatriot Johan Cruyff and is still so ineffective that any Sunday league full back, let alone the cream of the world’s defenders, would know to focus their entire strategy on forcing him to use it.

The number of times he hits the byline and successfully crosses with his right foot is roughly comparable to the 29-year-old’s total active hair follicles – not many – while statistics produced by Prozone show that almost 80 percent of his shots are with his left.

Yet, time and time again, having feinted to go outside, Robben is somehow given the space to cut in. Too often the end result is that the ball sails into the top tier behind the goal but, as he has matured, the manoeuvre now more often leads to a dangerous pass or a fierce, left-footed, attempt on goal.

If the world’s television watchers have managed to identify this familiar routine, then clearly leading coaches and players are aware of it too. So why is he still so often allowed to venture into the one place he wants to go instead of being ushered down a generally blind alley?

He has quick feet, wonderful control and critically explosive speed over the first two or three metres so that even when defenders are expecting the move they are sometimes unable to counter it, but there is very little deception about what he does.

“QUICK AND CLEVER”

The process leaves many experienced observers shaking their heads in frustration every time his all-too-familiar “trick” comes off.

“If the defender is doing his job properly of course you can stop him cutting inside but they have to really concentrate because he is so quick and clever,” former England manager Terry Venables told Reuters.

“Once he goes inside, the opposition are in danger – the secret is staying close. It’s as simple as that, the defender must stay tight, then you can stop him – just as Inter Milan did in the Champions League final three years ago.”

Paolo Maldini, one of the best left backs to grace the game, said the problem was part of a general falling away in the quality of defending.

“I believe that great defenders are so rare now. Every great team in Europe is good attacking but very bad defensively, including the great teams in the Champions League,” the former Italy and AC Milan stalwart told Reuters.

“The mentality is attack, attack and so that is why maybe the fullbacks are so focused on attacking. The knowledge of the people who teach you how to defend is not so high and you are now seeing the results.”

Robben fans will point to the semi-final first-leg victory over Barcelona as evidence that he is not a one-trick pony, as he did indeed go past Jordi Alba on the outside.

However, he did so with the aid of an American football-style body check by Thomas Mueller to take Alba out of the picture, and subsequently ended up with enough time and space to slot the ball in with his left.

There is more to his all-round game these days too and he was almost maniacal in his first-leg work-rate against Barcelona, chasing and harrying for every minute in the clinical 4-0 home win.

Maybe, having suffered from yet another injury and a subsequent long-term absence from Bayern’s first team, he is just taking full advantage of being back in the frame and the worst of his diving, histrionics and selfish choices might be behind him.

His performance will certainly be central to Bayern’s prospects on Saturday, when the man marking him will be Marcel Schmelzer.

If the German international has done his homework and manages to keep Robben glued to his chocolate side then it could well be a sweet night for Dortmund. (Additional reporting by Mike Collett and Simon Evans; Editing by Clare Fallon)

It will be an emotional day for many involved with England’s most dominant club, marking as it does the departure of several stalwart players and staff members and seen by some as the end of an era.

There is also a sense of frustration after Leicester have lost five of those previous eight finals, including the last two.

Northampton will be hoping to extend that streak. After finishing fourth in the regular season standings they beat table-topping Saracens in the semi-final and are seeking their first title.

This is the 13th edition of the end-of-season Twickenham finale, and few involved in the game any longer bemoan the format that replaced the traditional system of the team finishing top of the league being named champions.

Certainly Leicester, who lose the bulk of their first team squad for swathes of the season due to international callups, like the current format as, having lost only one league game since the end of February, they finished like a train to secure second in the standings.

Captain and former Ireland fullback Geordan Murphy, a veteran of the first playoff in 2001 and a 16-year-servant of Leicester, will retire from playing after Saturday’s clash to join the club’s coaching staff.

Prop Martin Castrogiovanni is also leaving after seven crowd-pleasing years, centre Danny Hipkiss has been forced to retire through injury, assistant coach Matt O’Connor is heading to Leinster and a number of other squad players are leaving.

STRONG FAVOURITES

“For those guys it will be their last appearance from a playing point or coaching point of view but we’ve just got to focus on the game,” director of rugby Richard Cockerill told reporters.

“Geordan will be there on Saturday. He’ll be coaching if he’s not involved in the 23 but we’ll worry about the sentiment about guys leaving afterwards, good or bad.

“We just have to make sure we get our training right, our attitude right, get the result and then we can talk about how good these guys have been for us.

“The one thing you can’t underestimate about Saints is their physicality,” said Cockerill. “If you look at Soane Tonga’uiha, Dylan Hartley, Brian Mujati, Samu Manoa, Courtney Lawes, they have some real big hitters in there.”

For all Cockerill’s wary talk, however, Leicester start strong favourites and have come out on top in the teams’ last seven meetings, including a 36-8 thrashing at Franklin’s Gardens in March.

Lawes, who knows many of the Leicester team very well through his England duties, was, however, upbeat.

“Both sides have very similar setups and similar teams and we’re perhaps only underdogs due to Leicester’s consistency throughout the season,” he told the club’s website (www.northamptonsaints.co.uk)

“It’s a one-off game though and I certainly see that if we come out and play to our full potential that it will be very close.”

Any neutrals in the 82,000 crowd and watching on TV will hope that “close” doesn’t mean a repeat of the first of the teams’ previous 227 meetings back in 1880, when 133 years of rivalry began with a 0-0 draw.

(Editing by John Mehaffey)