Ben Youngs: Leicester Tigers scrum-half on pride of retiring after Premiership final defeat

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.”

Cheika also made every effort to avoid getting himself into “strife” when talking about decisions throughout the game – most pointedly Cole’s sin-binning – and said he would take it up with the RFU’s officiating chief Paul Hull as a “final bit of banter”.

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.

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 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.”

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.

“But I’ll forever be a Leicester fan now.”