England prospect Joe Carpenter's Twickenham chance delayed by a week as Sale Sharks star laments Premiership semi-final defeat

Instead the Leeds-born back will watch the Premiership final unfold without him, hoping to make his return to headquarters next weekend as an England player.

The 23-year-old full-back has had a stellar season at Sale, making more metres than any other player with ball in hand in the Premiership. Those exploits have earned him a second call-up to England’s summer squad, one that he joined a week earlier than planned due to Sale’s defeat to Leicester Tigers in the Premiership play-off semi-final last Sunday.

Carpenter is now fully immersed in his mission this summer of making England’s touring party for their three-Test trip to Argentina and America. But there will be part of him slightly rueful that Sale couldn’t cap another strong season by making it all the way to Twickenham.

“It would have been nice to have been there on Saturday,” Carpenter said as Sale’s vanquishers Leicester prepare to take on Bath for the title. “The expectation for us at Sale as players and the management was that that was going to be the case.

“It’s fantastic being here in the England camp and it takes the mind off that loss, and you can’t sulk about it for too long when you’ve got something else to look forward to and put your energy towards, but yeah, I think the lads were definitely disappointed after the performance.

“That’s how sport is. Naturally I think the disappointment was not how we lost but how we performed in that first half and it wasn’t good enough.”

Carpenter’s attention may have already switched to appearing in next Saturday’s non-cap contest between an England XV and a France XV at Twickenham, but the eyes of the rugby world are on Bath and Leicester, including those of Leeds rugby player at the other end of his career.

Danny Care, who retired from England duty earlier this season, sees the emotional energy of two of his old international team-mates Ben Youngs and Dan Cole - who will retire after today’s game - as a key element in what will decide the outcome.

“I do love a fairytale; I do believe sometimes things happen for a reason,” said Care, who was twice a Premiership champion with Harlequins.

“Maybe there’s something in the air that it was destined for Ben Youngs and Dan Cole to finish with another medal.

“Having said that, sport can be a very harsh beast and they’re not going to just get given it.

“I’m sure Leicester will be piling into that emotional energy of sending these guys off on a high; the amount of love they’ve given to that club, both one-club men – it’d be pretty special to see that happen.”

England XV v France XV at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday 21 June (kick-off 3.15pm). Tickets are available from £25. For more information and to book, click here