Summary

  • FT: Saracens 31-17 Harlequins

  • Saracens score 20 unanswered points in second half

  • Quins led 17-11 at half-time

  • Sarries will play Northampton at Twickenham on 31 May

  1. Postpublished at 16:14 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    This match perhaps didn't live up to the drama and excitement of last night's semi-final, but it was probably unfair to expect it to.

    Nonetheless, Saracens produced when they most needed to in that second half and will now meet Northampton in a clash of the Premiership's top two at Twickenham on Saturday, 31 May.

    It's time to bring our live coverage of the Premiership semi-finals to a close now, apart from to point you towards Chris Osborne's match report.

    But we hope you'll join us for the final in a fortnight's time, and for our coverage of the Amlin Challenge Cup and Heineken Cup finals next weekend.

  2. Postpublished at 16:10 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    If you've not had enough of a rugby fix this weekend then you can catch online radio commentary of the Championship play-off semi-final second leg between Rotherham Titans and Bristol from 18:05 BST.

    Then tomorrow we'll also have online radio commentary of the other semi-final between London Welsh and Leeds Carnegie at 12:45 BST, as well as Wasps v Stade Francais in the Euro Rugby Cup play-off from 15:00 BST.

  3. Get Involvedpublished at 16:09 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    Ollie: Thought the Saracens back row was superb. Brown and Vunipola had stormers. Well done Sarries, thoroughly deserved.

  4. Celebrationspublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    It was looking pretty ominous for Saracens at the midway point, but their class shone through in the end and they were convincing winners. Mark McCall's side now have a shot at a Premiership and Heineken Cup double.

  5. Postpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    BBC Sport's Chris Osborne at Allianz Park: "Nowhere near the drama of last night. Once Saracens got ahead, it was only going to go one way. Quins visibly faded as it went on, with last week's heroics possibly to blame. The Sarries flags are a flying here though - and they sense a league and European double."

  6. Postpublished at 16:01 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    Brian Moore
    Former Harlequins and England hooker on BBC Radio 5 live

    "Saracens deserve this win. I did feel Harlequins were living on luck a little bit in the first half. The second half was all Saracens."

  7. FULL-TIMEpublished at 16:00 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    There goes the final whistle, Saracens have booked a final date with Northampton at Twickenham!

  8. Postpublished at 15:59 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    Saracens have the put-in at a scrum, and then win the free-kick. Into the final minute.

  9. Postpublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    Harlequins enjoying some possession now, moving through the phases but unable to progress beyond the half-way line. Finally, replacement Ben Botica gets them heading in the right direction but the attack is halted by Billy Vunipola's choke tackle. Less than two minutes remain.

  10. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 15:57 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    That kick will be Owen Farrell's last, and he's replaced by the experienced Charlie Hodgson. Farrell, who had some early issues from the tee in the first period, found his range superbly after the interval.

  11. PENALTY - Farrellpublished at 15:53 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    It's a further Harlequins infringement at the scrum and, having gone 10 minutes without a point, Owen Farrell kicks another three to confirm Saracens' grip on this match. That's now 20 points without reply in this second half. It's been a mighty effort from the Premiership's table-toppers.

  12. Postpublished at 15:50 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    After a frantic 30 minutes or so either side of half-time, this match has become pretty start-stop. Injuries and substitutions are dominating the agenda, and the clock is ticking on Harlequins' season.

  13. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 15:50 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    Steve Borthwick's race is also run, for today at least. The retiring Saracens skipper is off for Eoin Sheriff. That's his last appearance at Allianz Park.

  14. Postpublished at 15:47 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    Ian Robertson
    BBC rugby union correspondent

    "This is a sad end to the season for Harlequins. They've had an immense rally in the last two months but today seems a step too far. They've got tired bodies out there. It was a tremendous effort against Bath in the last fixture of the season but perhaps they're paying the price now."

  15. SUBSTITUTIONpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    And Mike Brown will indeed make way. His afternoon's work is done.

  16. OUCH!published at 15:44 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    This could be game over for Mike Brown. He's hobbling around, and I'm not sure he'll be able to continue. Of course, I say game over, but England coach Stuart Lancaster will be hoping that's not his season over too, with a tour of New Zealand to come in a couple of weeks.

  17. Postpublished at 15:42 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    Scoring next is an absolute must for Harlequins. Remember, they led 17-11 at half-time but Saracens have now scored 17 unanswered points in the opening 25 minutes of this second period to take complete control of the semi-final.

  18. Postpublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    Brian Moore
    Former Harlequins and England hooker on BBC Radio 5 live

    "It was tremendous work by Marcelo Bosch. His bravery and tenacity kept the ball in play when it looked like it was going out and led to that crucial try."

  19. CONVERTED TRY - Ashton (con Farrell)published at 15:34 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    That is a try out of the very top drawer from Saracens, and it's been coming. Kelly Brown bursts through, handing off two tacklers before finding Brad Barritt. The England centre doesn't have much room to work in, but his offload to Chris Ashton is perfect and the winger flies over for his eighth Premiership try of the season. Owen Farrell's conversion is as sweet as you like and this is one way traffic right now.

  20. Postpublished at 15:31 British Summer Time 17 May 2014

    London Welsh centre Seb Jewell summarising on BBC London 94.9: "This is a crucial part of the game and Quins have got to get back into it. Saracens are turning the screw with 10 quick points and Harlequins don't appear to have an answer."