Premiership final: Exeter Chiefs 38-40 Harlequins - Louis Lynagh's late double clinches title

Louis Lynagh's two tries secured a first title for Quins since 2012

Louis Lynagh's two late tries saw Harlequins win their first Premiership title for nine years as they beat Exeter 40-38 in a thrilling final.

The son of former Australia captain Michael Lynagh dived over with seven minutes left in a game in which the lead changed five times.

Quins trailed by five points before Lynagh's first try in the 73rd minute.

He got a second three minutes later to seal the win before Stuart Hogg pulled a try back for Exeter at the death.

Having come back from 28-0 down to beat Premiership table-toppers Bristol in extra time in last week's semi-final, Quins impressed as they held off the reigning champions for large parts of the game to write a famous chapter in the London club's history.

Exeter, who have reached the last six finals, lost for a fourth time at Twickenham, having been beaten by Saracens in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

• Relive Harlequins' thrilling victory over Exeter as it happened

Harlequins fight into stoppage time

Alex Dombrandt's try in first-half stoppage time typified Harlequins' attitude

Quins got the best possible start - Marcus Smith's kick to the corner from a fourth-minute penalty was inch-perfect and from the resulting five-metre line-out they mauled towards the line. Exeter's British and Irish Lions lock Jonny Hill pulled it down illegally and referee Matthew Carley awarded a penalty try and sent Hill to the sin-bin.

But despite being a man down, Exeter began to assert their control.

Tom O'Flaherty, Sam Simmonds and Alex Cuthbert all had dangerous breaks and with 15 men they made their move - a couple of tap-and-go penalties close to the Quins line eventually ended with Scotland lock Jonny Gray forcing his way over in the 20th minute.

A second try followed 10 minutes later for Alec Hepburn by a similar route, with Smith being sin-binned after repeated infringements as Exeter went over.

But then it was Quins' turn to take command as they dominated the scrum and possession, giving Exeter a taste of their own medicine as they forced the Chiefs into long periods of defending on their own line.

It paid dividends as first Wilco Louw went in from close range with three minutes to go, before Alex Dombrandt cut a superb stoppage-time line from the back of a ruck under Exeter's posts and latched on to Smith's pass to give the Londoners a deserved lead.

Lynagh magic secures historic victory

Louis Lynagh, 20, did not make his Premiership debut until the final day of last season

Quins came out firing after the break and Andre Esterhuizen ended a flowing passing move over in the left corner after Smith's long pass had created an overlap.

But this topsy-turvy final again turned as the Chiefs scored twice in the next 10 minutes.

Sam Simmonds went in from close range for his 21st Premiership try of the season before Devoto glided over having seen Luke Cowan-Dickie and Joe Simmonds break through the Quins line 40 metres out.

Cowan-Dickie had to come off with 20 minutes to go after knocking himself unconscious when his head hit a knee in a tackle, before Simmonds kicked a simple penalty to increase the gap to five points with 15 minutes to go.

But with Exeter looking like they would retain the title for the first time in their history, Harlequins again showed their never-say-die attitude as they forced their way deep into Exeter territory before Smith's lovely delayed pass sent Lynagh in on the right wing.

Smith created the space again three minutes later, drifting his way across the attacking line to allow Lynagh to cross for his second, leaving Hogg's late score as a consolation.

Sky-high belief

Harlequins won the title in front of just 10,000 people at Twickenham due to Covid-19 restrictions

Harlequins' route to the final had been a bumpy one - they had registered just two league wins under former coach Paul Gustard when he left in January.

The club was in seventh place and all was not well in the camp - general manager Billy Millard became the focal point for the team and fellow coaches Jerry Flannery, Nick Evans and Adam Jones stepped up.

"The belief in our squad is sky high," Quins number eight Alex Dombrandt said.

"From the outside looking in, a lot of people doubted us and didn't give us a chance, but I think that galvanised this group.

"We've got a lot of strong characters, a lot of great leaders in our group and that belief has always been there."

For Millard, who has brought the group together and saw the club win 11 league games out of the next 16 to seal a top-four place, he was full of pride in his side:

"I thought some of our plans came off well, our scrum got on top for a good chunk," he said.

"But fair play to Exeter, they went right to the end and I can't be prouder and admire the boys, the admiration's huge.

"They were tired, last week took a bit out of us and we only got a bit done this week, but they dug deep, so I'm extremely proud."

Loss can move Exeter 'onto next level' - Baxter

Sam Simmonds (left) scored more tries than any other player in a single season in Premiership history this campaign

For Exeter, who won a historic domestic and European double last season, it was a fourth heartbreak at Twickenham in six seasons.

The favourites going into the game never got their powerful game going against an inspired Quins side.

But for Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter, this loss could be a watershed moment in this team's evolution:

"There's nothing dramatically wrong with us, we've come up in the last game of the season in the last few minutes a bit short," he said.

"The challenge is how do we stay as a good side, don't overreact the wrong way to losing today and make sure we honestly deal with the things we need to deal with.

"I actually think today is one of those lessons that can potentially move us on to the next level because we've all learnt a tough lesson over the last few weeks.

"We've still got plenty of players who are young enough to be in several more finals and I hope that today is that really valuable lesson that moves you on that bit more."

Exeter: Nowell; Cuthbert, Slade, Devoto, O'Flaherty; J Simmonds (capt), Maunder; Hepburn, Cowan-Dickie, Williams, Jonny Gray, Hill, Kirsten, Capstick, S Simmonds.

Replacements: Yeandle, Moon, Street, Lonsdale, Armand, Townsend, H Skinner, Hogg.

Sin-bin: Hill (5 mins).

Harlequins: Green; Lynagh, Marchant, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care; Marler, Baldwin, Louw, Symons, Lewies (capt), Chisholm, Kenningham, Dombrandt.

Replacements: Joe Gray, Garcia Botta, Collier, Lamb, Lawday, Landajo, Tapuai, Northmore.

Sin-bin: Smith (28 mins).

Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU).

Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce & Karl Dickson.

Television Match Official: Ian Tempest.

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