Whatever heights Saracens hit today, Alex Goode can not forget the lowest low.
The former England fullback is back at Twickenham where his club play Leicester in the final of the Gallagher Premiership.
Goode is already a five-time winner and bookmakers have the Londoners odds-on to make it six.
That would be some feat given they were playing in English rugby’s second division a year ago.
Almost a pinch-yourself moment for Goode who still bears the scars of that January day in 2020 when the players were told the club had cheated the salary cap and was being relegated.
“As a group it was very destructive and tough, a dagger to us as players and coaches and everyone at the training ground,” he said.
“It was horrendous to see so much mud slung at good people who probably didn’t deserve it. People had an opinion on anything and everything at that point.”
Other clubs danced on their grave, happy the three-time European champions had finally got their comeuppance for breaching salary cap regulations across three seasons.
“It was extremely tough knowing we were going to be out of the biggest competitions in the world,” Goode continued.
“I'm a competitor, I’d just been named European player of the year. I wanted to kick on. For me personally it was devastating.
“But we took our punishment and, as players, agreed that it was our time to give back to the club and to rally and work unbelievably hard.”
Pledging to bounce back and win the league was an easy soundbite, like vowing to return better than before from serious injury. It is what sporting professionals say.
This lot meant it.
“It’s not rocket science,” said Goode. “Having good people working unbelievably hard and driving towards a collective goal can be very powerful - but doing it day in day out, that’s the hard bit.
“That’s where having a senior group that leads by example, making sure standards don’t drop, is massive.
“It’s been a tough journey and we’ve had to grind and slug it out, work incredibly hard for this opportunity. We feel we’ve paid our dues in that sense.”
What makes this final so fascinating, and difficult to predict, is that Leicester are similarly motivated as they too are on a journey back from the bottom.
Two years running English rugby’s most decorated club dodged the relegation bullet, the second time only due to Saracens’ expulsion.
Goode chooses to remember Tigers as the side they were when these clubs met in the 2011 final, an occasion which provided him with his greatest rugby memory.
“We led by four points when they won a penalty with a minute to go,” recalled the 34-year-old.
“The defensive set for eight extra-time minutes on our own line was phenomenal. Something I’ve never known since or before.
“That moment when the final whistle blew, honestly, I just wish I could have bottled it up.”
Steve Borthwick, now boss of Leicester, was Saracens captain that day - Tigers current player-coach Richard Wigglesworth another wearing Sarries colours.
Eleven years on and Goode will hope this time to disappoint them, not least because he wants a picture with baby son Remi and the trophy.
“But you have got to be careful not to be too desperate for that,” he warned himself.
“It’s satisfying to be back in the Big Dance but we have to make sure we turn up.”
Leicester: Steward; Ashton, Moroni, Porter, Potter; Ford, Wigglesworth; Genge (capt), Montoya, Cole, Chessum, Green, Liebenberg, Reffell, Wiese.
Replacements: Clare, Leatigaga, Heyes, Wells, Martin, Youngs, Burns, Scott.
Saracens: Goode; Malins, Daly, Tompkins, Maitland; Farrell (capt), Davies; M Vunipola, George, Koch, Itoje, Isiekwe, McFarland, Earl, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Pifeleti, Mawi, Clarey, Wray, Christie, Van Zyl, Taylor, Lozowski.
Referee: Wayne Barnes.
