Premiership semi-final: Bristol Bears 36-43 Harlequins (AET) - Quins reach Twickenham after stunning fightback

Louis Lynagh, son of Australian great Michael, brought Quins back within four points and had a second try ruled out

Harlequins staged a thrilling fightback to beat Bristol after extra time and reach the Premiership play-off final.

Tries from Max Malins (two), Ben Earl and Luke Morahan put Bristol 28-0 up in as many minutes before Alex Dombrandt replied on the stroke of half-time.

Tyrone Green, James Chisholm and Louis Lynagh scores quickly cut the gap to 28-24 and Joe Marchant's late try sent the game into extra time at 31-31.

Green and Marchant tries either side of Malins' third sealed a remarkable win.

Quins will play Exeter in the final, with the defending champions seeing off Sale 40-30 in Saturday's second semi-final.

• Relive an extraordinary match as it happened

Bristol had topped the table from round six to the end of the regular season and looked on course for their first-ever Premiership final as they led 28-0 after 38 minutes.

However, the biggest-ever comeback in Premiership history - surpassing Harlequins' own from 40-13 down to beat Wasps 42-40 in September 2012 - earned the Londoners a 'home' final at Twickenham next Saturday where they will face either Exeter or Sale.

Roared on by most of the 6,000 supporters at Ashton Gate, Bristol started at a furious tempo, bamboozling Quins with pace and power, and after two early Callum Sheedy penalties, Earl and Malin went over in the corner to make it 16-0 in just 12 minutes.

Max Malins scored a first-half brace before taking his season's try tally to nine in extra time

A stunned Quins' defence were left flat-footed as Nathan Hughes put Malins in for a simple score in the corner, and the wing's overhead offload then gave Morahan a clear run to the line for a 28-0 lead.

Little went right in a disastrous first half for Quins, in their first play-off appearance for seven seasons, but moments after knocking on just three metres from the line, number eight Dombrandt capitalised on Malins spilling a high ball to put them on the scoreboard.

Quins' response to Billy Millard's half-time team talk was dramatic as quick ball allowed impressive full-back Green to squeeze over within 90 seconds of the restart, and replacement back row Chisholm plunged over moments later to punish sloppy play from the hosts.

Dombrandt's burst onto Ben Tapuai's short pass then put Lynagh away to make it 24 unanswered points in a breathless 15 minutes and cut the gap to four.

To the despair of Bristol fans, Harry Randall's clever finish was ruled out on review for a forward pass by Semi Radradra, but a Sheedy penalty took the lead back out to seven.

The Bears' respite was brief though as Dombrandt was forced into touch inches from the line and Lynagh had a second score ruled out by the TMO after Green's scoring pass was judged forward.

Smith, the Premiership's leading points-scorer, was then the architect of a superb late score which Marchant finished, and the 22-year-old fly-half kept his cool to slot the levelling conversion under enormous pressure.

The drama continued into extra time - the first Premiership semi-final to do so - as Sheedy's penalty hit the post before Green crossed, following a scrum penalty, to put Harlequins ahead for the first time just before the interval.

Bristol looked down and out, but summoned a superb response as Malins completed his hat-trick to bring the Bears back to 38-36.

But with Bristol down to 13 men after injuries to Semi Radradra and Harry Thacker, having used up their bench, the visitors took advantage as Marchant finally settled matters in the 100th minute of an enthralling contest.

Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam told BBC Radio Bristol:

"We had many chances to win that game and didn't put it away and when it went into extra time we knew we had to score twice because we were down on the tries. We almost did it, but not quite.

"It doesn't take away the massive effort of the whole year from the whole team, and at least we fired shots compared to last year and we will come back stronger.

"We got loose and needed to control the ball because I knew if we didn't they would come back hard, and they came back hard and showed what a good side they are.

"In extra time we had opportunities, we didn't take them, but that's just the way rugby goes. It's cruel, but I'm very proud of the whole group and what they've achieved this year."

Harlequins general manager Billy Millard told BBC Radio 5 Live:

"It feels a little bit surreal, but it feels pretty amazing.

"At half-time, there was a bit of belief that if we could get some momentum, the pressure would turn, but you just couldn't predict how it would turn out.

"The first thing I'm going to do is watch the last two and a half minutes as I was in the changing room as I just couldn't watch.

"I've been involved in too many nervy finishes like that in the past and not ended up on the right end.

"I stood there with [former Harlequins player] Kyle Sinckler and we watched it in the changing room.

"He shook my hand at the end and congratulated us all and wished us well for next week."

Man-of-the-match Tyrone Green told BT Sport:

"That second half we put everything out there and we are so happy we have got the win here.

"We let ourselves down in the first half, but the boys did themselves justice and we came out in the second half with one of the best performances we've had this season.

"The coaches and players have worked so hard for this, but this is a small achievement compared to what we are aiming for next week."

Bristol Bears: C Piutau; Morahan, Radradra, S Piutau (co-capt), Malins; Sheedy, Uren; Y Thomas, Thacker, Sinckler, Attwood, Vui, Luatua (co-capt), Earl, Hughes.

Replacements: Capon, Woolmore, Afoa, Joyce, Heenan, Randall, Lloyd, O'Conor.

Harlequins: Green; Lynagh, Marchant, Tapuai, Morris; Smith, Care; Marler, Baldwin, Louw, Symons, Lewies (capt), Lawday, Kenningham, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Gray, Garcia Botta, Collier, Lamb, J Chisholm, Landajo, Lang, Northmore.

Referee: Wayne Barnes (RFU).

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