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Image source, Rex Features

Saracens’ Ben Earl was also a guest on Rugby Union Weekly this week, and was in his customary good form after a season in which he has excelled for club and country.

“I’m not going to jinx us, but I have never seen us like where we have been this week. It’s been amazing – scary if anything – but amazing and scary to be a part of,” Earl said.

“I was doing my groceries the other night and walking down the aisle I was just thinking to myself ‘Friday night is massive’. How weird is that!? But that’s reflective of what is at stake.

“The do-or-die nature of a one-game play-off final is something that you just live for – that is why you do it,” he said.

“And to win it [last year] was unbelievable, and you just want to have that feeling again, you are dying for it. And we really are.

“The context around both teams’ emotional background with players leaving, the beginning and the end of journeys, there is a nice plot to it on Friday night. There is so much going on, it’s great.

“The Saints are the best team in this league at the moment, as you look at the league table. Unfortunately, that doesn’t count for much. Last season I would have loved it if you finished top of the table and won the league, this year I am quite grateful that isn’t the case!

“Fair play to Saints, they are the best team in the league at the moment, but we have two games to prove that wrong.”

Meanwhile Earl says he has no doubt Saracens captain Owen Farrell has one glorious final chapter to write as he prepares to depart English rugby.

“I’ve played with Owen for a number of years now, and when he has been good the last couple of weeks, it’s as good as I’ve seen him. Which is pretty scary. He is almost getting better.

“I thought I would get some more golf out of him, but he is out there on the 4G kicking which shows how hungry he is. He has completed everything there is in the game almost and is still wanting to get better. And that’s a sign of where he is.”

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On the latest episode of the Rugby Union Weekly podcast, Chris Jones and Chris Ashton were joined by some of the biggest names in the game, including the departing Saints legend Courtney Lawes, who laces them up at the Gardens for the final time tonight after 17 seasons at the club.

“When you are in the thick of it you aren’t thinking too much about it,” Lawes said.

“But I will definitely take it all in and try and enjoy it as much as I can. It’s mad that after 17 years it will be the last game I ever play at the Gardens. It’s crazy.”

As he prepares to leave English rugby for a new experience in France, Lawes has been honoured by both the Rugby Players’ Association and the Rugby Union Writers’ Club over the past week.

“It’s quite a strange phenomenon this last year or two,” he explained. “I feel like I’ve been plugging away my whole career and then out of nowhere people start giving you accolades! But I am very humbled by it all.

“I still consider myself a pretty average player, I don’t think I will ever feel like I have been the player I wanted to be, but I never would no matter what I did.

“I am very grateful to have been able to play this game for so long at such a high level, representing places and teams and playing with lads that I love. So I am just very grateful for it all.”

After one of the most storied careers in domestic rugby, Owen Farrell could be playing his final game for Saracens tonight.

He captains what is always an impressive squad, with 20 internationals here.

Saracens: Elliot Daly; Alex Lewington, Lucio Cinti, Nick Tompkins, Tom Parton; Owen Farrell (c), Ivan van Zyl; Mako Vunipola, Jamie George, Marco Riccioni; Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe; Juan Martin Gonzalez, Ben Earl, Billy Vunipola

Replacements: Theo Dan, Eroni Mawi, Ollie Hoskins, Hugh Tizard, Theo McFarland, Tom Willis, Aled Davies, Alex Lozowski

Image source, Rex Features

What a strange old season it's been for Sarries?

They were thumped at Exeter on the opening day of the Premiership campaign before a host of senior players, including Owen Farrell and Mako and Billy Vunipola, announced their departures.

Out-of-character big defeats in Europe followed but their Premiership form improved with impressive wins against Harlequins, Bath and Bristol during the run-in.

Just when it looked like they were again timing their run to perfection, a very lacklustre home defeat by Sale on the last day of the regular campaign left them fourth in the table and tonight could bring the end of the road for a special group of players.

Courtney Lawes leads out Saints for one final time at the Gardens ahead of his summer move to France.

Alex Waller, Alex Moon and Lewis Ludlam are all also saying their goodbyes to NN5.

Northampton: George Furbank; Tommy Freeman, Burger Odendaal, Fraser Dingwall, Ollie Sleightholme; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Alex Waller, Curtis Langdon, Trevor Davison; Alex Moon, Alex Coles; Courtney Lawes (c), Tom Pearson, Juarno Augustus

Replacements: Sam Matavesi, Emmanuel Iyogun, Elliot Millar Mills, Temo Mayanavanua, Sam Graham, Lewis Ludlam, Tom James, George Hendy

Image source, Rex Features

By anyone's measure, Northampton have been the best team this season, at times lighting up the league with some wonderful attacking rugby to finish top of the table.

That included a comeback from 26 points down at Exeter, a second-half surge against Sarries at Franklin's Gardens just after the Six Nations and a memorable run to the Champions Cup semi-finals.

But can they find that form again here tonight to reach their first Premiership final since 2014, when they beat tonight's opponents to lift their first title?

Image source, Rex Features

Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first of the Premiership semi-finals.

And what a humdinger we could have with reigning champions Saracens travelling to Northampton Saints for a place in the final.