London Irish's in-form fly-half Barry Everitt plans to kick Northampton's Powergen Cup Final hopes into touch when the two sides square up at Twickenham on Saturday.

Everitt currently tops the Premiership points-scoring chart, having amassed 297 from 18 games at an average of more than 16 points a time, and bagged a further 126 in other competitions just for good measure.

And there can be little doubt that he is the biggest single threat to Northampton in terms of destroying their cup dream before a sell-out 75,000 crowd.

Everitt though, did not take up goalkicking until just a few years ago, which makes his current strike-rate all the more remarkable.

"My first season of kicking was the year before I joined Irish from Leinster," he said.

"I identified it as something I was going to have to do if I wanted to play at the top level, and it has come good in recent seasons.

"I've worked very hard this season, especially, but with every goalkicker, it's a combination of hard work and dedication.

"Every kick for me is an individual thing. It doesn't matter how many I've missed or kicked beforehand, although your success-rate probably has to be over 70 1022n order to be a consistent goalkicker in the Premiership.

"I haven't really had any outside assistance from kicking coaches - I am happy with the routine that I've got - but Rob Andrew would have been the kicker at the time that I looked up to."

"I was out of contract with Leinster a couple of years ago, and I had never really looked at the Premiership," he added.

"But Irish got in contact, and at the time, it was probably the only club I would have joined in the Premiership because I knew the likes of Justin Bishop, Kieron Dawson and Conor O'Shea.

"It very quickly became a home away from home here, and I have really enjoyed the past two seasons.

"It's fantastic to be involved in a cup final, but I am especially thrilled for the club and our supporters, who I am sure will enjoy the atmosphere and occasion as much as the players."

Teams:

London Irish: M Horak; P Sackey, G Appleford, B Venter, J Bishop; B Everitt, H Martens; M Worsley, N Drotske, R Hardwick, R Strudwick (capt), S Williams, E Halvey, D Danaher, C Sheasby

Replacements: D Edwards, J Brown, R Hoadley, J Cockle, R Kirke, G Delaney, S Halford

Northampton: N Beal; C Moir, P Jorgensen, J Leslie, B Cohen; P Grayson, M Dawson; T Smith, S Thompson, M Stewart, J Ackermann, O Brouzet, A Blowers, B Pountney (capt), G Seely

Replacements: D Richmond, R Morris, J Phillips, A Rennick, D Malone, M Tucker, J Brooks

Referee: Steve Lander (England)