Summary

  • FT: Exeter 34-23 Wasps

  • Exeter win to reach first-ever Premiership final

  • FT: Saracens 44-17 Leicester

  • Sarries run in five tries to make final at Twickenham on 28 May

  • England duo Farrell and Tuilagi both go off injured

  1. Saracens 44-17 Leicesterpublished at 76 mins

    Again you see Maro Itoje at his destructive best for Saracens, disrupting play in defence and adding his considerable muscle in attack.

    A knock on by the hosts' pack gives Leicester a scrum close to their own line.

  2. Saracens 44-17 Leicesterpublished at 74 mins

    Paul Grayson
    Ex-England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 live

    Quote Message

    European player of the year Maro Itoje forces the error and yet again he makes the right choice. He toes it ahead and Chris Ashton shows jet shoes to get to the ball before showing the presence of mind to pick it up and dot down.

  3. try

    Try (Ashton, con Hodgson)published at 72 mins

    Saracens 44-17 Leicester

    Maro Itoje will take the assist but credit Chris Ashton for not giving it up.

    With the ball bouncing out of the back of a ruck, Itoje's right boot hacks it forward and Ashton sprints to the ball and kicks it before Vereniki Goneva can dive on it.

    The Saracens winger kicks it forwards and places it down. Charlie Hodgson with another two points and that ends any comeback hopes.

  4. Saracens 37-17 Leicesterpublished at 71 mins

    Stuart Lancaster
    Ex-England coach on BBC Radio 5 live

    Quote Message

    Saracens have been in these positions before and they know how to get control back in a game. They put in a pretty direct play and Leicester just gifted them three points.

  5. Penalty (Hodgson)published at 70 mins

    Saracens 37-17 Leicester

    Charlie HodgsonImage source, Rex Features

    The wind nearly stops Charlie Hodgson making it two from two, but it just creeps over.

    Saracens have themselves a healthy 20-point lead and they're heading to their fourth final in a row right now.

  6. Saracens 34-17 Leicesterpublished at 67 mins

    The Saracens scrum marmelises the Leicester eight.

    From a Tigers put in, they all pump their legs in unison to win a penalty.

    Charlie Hodgson's kick gives them a line-out with 12 metres to go for a fifth try.

  7. Saracens 34-17 Leicesterpublished at 65 mins

    Chris WylesImage source, Getty Images

    This is some recovery from Chris Wyles that eventually leads to another penalty.

    He spins expertly away from Vereniki Goneva's grubber kick through and then two offloads in tackles gets Saracens even further away from their try line.

    Leicester dive over the top and Chris Hodgson kicks the hosts into the Tigers half.

  8. Penalty (Hodgson)published at 62 mins

    Saracens 34-17 Leicester

    Never in doubt.

    The Premiership's greatest-ever accumulator of points, Charlie Hodgson, adds three more to his tally.

    Saracens are back up to 15 men again and that Leicester comeback now looks an unlikely scenario once more.

  9. Saracens 34-17 Leicesterpublished at 62 mins

    Stuart Lancaster
    Ex-England coach on BBC Radio 5 live

    Quote Message

    Charlie Hodgson is a great replacement to bring on in this sort of game, as Owen Farrell looks very sore. Charlie is just the type of guy you want and he'll steady the ship no doubt.

  10. Saracens 31-17 Leicesterpublished at 61 mins

    Owen Farrell is unable to continue so former Sale fly-half Charlie Hodgson comes on - the best back-up 10 in the Premiership?

    This will be Hodgson's final appearance at Allianz Park ahead of his retirement this summer and his first bit of action is a strike towards goal...

  11. Saracens 31-17 Leicesterpublished at 60 mins

    Saracens disrupt the Leicester line-out and are piling pressure on inside the Tigers 22.

    England fly-half Owen Farrell is on the pitch after a late hit and we're checking with the TMO how late that was.

    Sarries' forwards go to within a couple of metres of the try line but they will have a penalty rather than five points.

  12. Missed penalty (Farrell)published at 57 mins

    Saracens 31-17 Leicester

    Maro ItojeImage source, Getty Images

    A sign of how much the wind has picked up in north London that Owen Farrell's kick is on target but does not have the legs as it catches the wind.

    The first one he's missed today.

    Saracens think they've scored, putting Leicester under all sorts of pressure behind their own line, but the referee already had his arm out for a knock-on so it's a Tigers scrum.

  13. Saracens 31-17 Leicesterpublished at 56 mins

    Paul Grayson
    Ex-England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 live

    Quote Message

    That's just criminal. Leicester, having put themselves into the position they had, could not afford to miss the green there. Owen Williams trying to create something when he didn't need to and he's cost his side 40 metres.

  14. Saracens 31-17 Leicesterpublished at 55 mins

    I said at half-time about wanting to be a fly on the wall to what Richard Cockerill would say to his troops, and now I'm even more eager to know.

    Leicester are swarming all over Saracens at the moment.

    That said, Owen Williams makes their first mistake of the second half as he kicks directly into touch outside his own 22.

  15. Saracens 31-17 Leicesterpublished at 53 mins

    Paul Grayson
    Ex-England fly-half on BBC Radio 5 live

    Adam ThompstoneImage source, Getty Images
    Quote Message

    What a swing in momentum. Saracens strolled off the field at half-time as Champions of Europe and in complete control. But Leicester, with a traditional old-school rolling maul, have made this a mouth-watering encounter.

  16. try

    Try (Barrow, con Williams)published at 51 mins

    Saracens 31-17 Leicester

    What is happening here?!

    The first driving maul is brought down just short but Dom Barrow picks and drives from a couple of metres out and just dots down on the whitewash.

    Another couple of points from Owen Williams and dare I say it, but the Tigers are on the verge of something incredible.

    We've only had just a quarter of the second half!

  17. Sin-bin (Fraser)published at 50 mins

    Saracens 31-10 Leicester

    Is this the turning point in the game?

    Will Fraser is sent to cool off for 10 minutes after Ben Youngs takes a quick tap penalty five metres out.

    Leicester kick to touch and have a line-out. Driving maul range.

  18. Saracens 31-10 Leicesterpublished at 50 mins

    Stuart Lancaster
    Ex-England coach on BBC Radio 5 live

    Quote Message

    Leicester have started well this second half and they look more threatening. They're trying to play through the line rather than around it now and Ben Youngs has produced some sniping runs. Sensible play so far.

  19. Missed penaltypublished at 48 mins

    Saracens 31-10 Leicester

    First kick off the tee we have seen missed this afternoon.

    From 52 metres out, Owen Williams has the distance but the ball just drifts right of the posts.

    England hooker Jamie George on for Saracens to replace Schalk Brits.

  20. Saracens 31-10 Leicesterpublished at 47 mins

    George KruisImage source, Rex Features

    A scuffle between Dan Cole, Maro Itoje, Owen Willaims and George Kruis breaks out and referee JP Doyle decides to have a word with men responsible.  

    Peter Beetham hits Owen Farrell hard in the tackle and the momentum wins the Tigers a penalty. Small margins are going the way of the Tigers and Williams lines up a penalty inside his own half...