Summary

  • Northampton edge past 14-man Bath to win Premiership title

  • FT: Northampton 25-21 Bath

  • Bath's Obano shown red card on 22 minutes for high tackle

  • Freeman, Sleightholme & Mitchell cross for Saints; Du Toit & Muir for Bath

  • Saints' first title since 2014; Bath last champions in 1996

  1. Postpublished at 42 mins

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Penalty to Bath!

    Brilliant from Finn Russell who delays a pass and drifts through a gap before finding Joe Cokanasiga who is tackled but Saints then infringe at the breakdown allowing Russell the opportunity to reduce the arrears further.

  2. Kick-offpublished at 16:02 British Summer Time 8 June

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Northampton v Bath match actionImage source, Getty Images

    Away we go for the second half.

    Bath will need all of their defensive steel to stay in this game being a man light, but they have Ben Spencer's box-kicking ability and plenty of dangerous attackers just waiting to be let off the leash when the chance arises.

    That said, Saints, if they can manage this game, are big favourites at this stage.

    Their excellent attack has not really been on it yet but if it clicks then they could rack up a few tries and take this away from their opponents.

    Which way do you see it going?

    Thumbs up for Saints, thumbs down for Bath.

  3. 'Saints are season's best closers'published at 15:59 British Summer Time 8 June

    HT: Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Chris Peddy
    BBC Sport at Twickenham

    You'd have to think Johann van Graan and his coaching team will be relatively happy to get their players into the changing room just one try-score behind Northampton having lost Beno Obano to a red card.

    There's cause for optimism for Bath - they've won five of their last seven matches at Twickenham, while Saints have lost all of their last five.

    Bath have also conceded fewer tries in the second half of Premiership matches this season than any other team (23) and they have been very efficient in the way they have used the bench - with 13 tries scored by replacements this season.

    But Saints are this season's best closers, winning seven of their nine games that were decided by seven points or less.

    Northampton celebrate scoring tryImage source, Getty Images
  4. 'Bath regrouped since the red card'published at 15:56 British Summer Time 8 June

    HT: Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Martin Haag
    Ex-Bath forward on BBC Radio Bristol

    Thomas du Toit's try certainly gives Bath hope.

    You worried for Bath in that five minute period just after Beno Obano went off.

    But they seemed to have regrouped, gone a little bit tighter in terms of their play, putting pressure on Northampton and not giving them too much of the ball to counter attack because that's how deadly they are.

    Bath's defence has been good and they're going to have to defend again in the second half but that just shows the spirit in this Bath team. They went a man down, regrouped and actually in the last 15 minutes have been absolutely superb.

    They've really ground it in and fighting for everything.

  5. 'Bath put in a shift'published at 15:51 British Summer Time 8 June

    HT: Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Matt Dawson
    2003 World Cup winner for BBC Radio 5 Live

    Bath were clinging on by their fingernails just before the break.

    They still have a mountain to climb but my goodness me they put in a shift with that late pressure.

    I have no issues whatsoever with the sending off, it is a red all day and it's a real shame for the game and the way it was going.

    Unfortunately it was just unacceptable from Beno Obano.

  6. Postpublished at 15:51 British Summer Time 8 June

    HT: Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Beno Obano's red card will be the major talking point at half-time but his side have managed to scrap their way to the break to ensure they are still in the game.

    Tommy Freeman and Ollie Sleightholme's quickfire tries had put Saints in a strong position but credit to Bath who hit back through Thomas du Toit.

    What a second half we have in store.

    That first half flew by!

  7. Half-timepublished at 15:47 British Summer Time 8 June

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    And there's the half-time whistle.

    14-man Bath are just five points behind at the break.

    Beno Obano shown a red cardImage source, Getty Images
  8. Postpublished at 40 mins

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    No!

    Bath survive as Saints are adjudged to have gone off their feet at the breakdown.

    Relief all around for the West Country men!

    Before that there was a bit of magic from Saints scrum-half Alex Mitchell which almost got Burger Odendaal in but he was stopped just short.

  9. Postpublished at 15:46 British Summer Time 8 June

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Chris Ashton
    Two-time Champions Cup winner for BBC Radio 5 Live

    Another Northampton try would maybe break Bath resistance.

    But, if Bath can score who knows how this game can go in the second half.

    At minimum they need to get into the break without conceding and regroup.

  10. Postpublished at 39 mins

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Very nervy moments for Bath now as Saints are camped on the line.

    Can they get over?

  11. 'An extra bit of momentum for Bathpublished at 15:44 British Summer Time 8 June

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Martin Haag
    Ex-Bath forward on BBC Radio Bristol

    It was a great decision to go to the corner and then executed superbly.

    It's added a extra bit of momentum for Bath especially with a man down.

    An excellent try in their own right and that's what Bath need to do, they need to just slow this game down a little bit, keep it tight and look after the ball.

    That will give Finn Russell a lot of confidence.

    The try was really important in terms of the momentum of this game.

  12. Postpublished at 37 mins

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    A vital few minutes before the break now.

    If Bath can keep the gap at five, or reduce it, they will go into the changing rooms in good heart but if they concede you get the feeling Saints will be well in control of this final.

    Saints win the line-out and look to attack.

    Bath centre Ollie Lawrence disrupts the attack but it's a knock-on and Northampton have another go on halfway.

  13. 'Bath fans find voice'published at 15:41 British Summer Time 8 June

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Chris Peddy
    BBC Sport at Twickenham

    This had been a horrible 10 minutes for Bath, losing a player and then conceding two tries while they attempted to regroup.

    But that try by Thomas du Toit has got the side with 14 players right back into this game as we enter the last 10 minutes of the first half.

    The Bath fans have found their voice again, things in the end to my right had understandably gone a little quiet. But their team have recovered well and they're one try away from levelling the score.

  14. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 15:40 British Summer Time 8 June

    #bbcrugby

    Paul Hilferty: Rugby’s ability to shoot itself in the foot is unrivalled

    Still game on with that Bath try though!

  15. 'Bath back in it'published at 15:40 British Summer Time 8 June

    Northampton 15-10 Bath

    Chris Jones
    BBC rugby union correspondent for BBC Radio 5 Live

    Bath have responded, it gives their fans in the stadium something to cheer.

    They are right back in this Premiership final, they've pounced!

    The gap is only five now.

  16. try

    TRY: Northampton 15-10 Bathpublished at 30 mins

    Thomas du Toit; con Russell

    Back hit back!

    It's back to basics as they keep it tight from a line-out and within a couple of phases South African prop Thomas du Toit powers his way over the line.

    Finn Russell then kicks a beauty from out wide to reduce the gap to five points.

    Bath celebrate scoring tryImage source, Rex Features
  17. 'What a score'published at 15:37 British Summer Time 8 June

    Northampton 15-3 Bath

    Lennie Newman
    Former Northampton Saints player and manager

    Once again it's Tom Pearson driving through the middle.

    But the handling there - once Ollie Sleightholme had that pace.

    What a score.

  18. try

    TRY: Northampton 15-3 Bathpublished at 28 mins

    Ollie Sleightholme

    From bad to worse for Bath.

    They were a bounce of the ball away from hitting back and then Saints go up the other end and score again.

    Ollie Sleightholme takes the pass from George Furbank and kicks behind - it's not exactly what he intended as he appears to be looking for a team-mate but it bends nicely back towards him and he can dot down.

    There's a quick check to see that he did get downward contact and the try is given.

    Fin Smith misses with the kick.

  19. Postpublished at 26 mins

    Northampton 10-3 Bath

    Nothing is going Bath's way at the moment.

    Ben Spencer's kick in behind looks measured to perfection for Will Muir to gallop onto it but instead of bouncing up into his hands it bounces out of play five metres out.

    So close again.

  20. 'Red card was a tough call but probably the right one'published at 15:32 British Summer Time 8 June

    Northampton 10-3 Bath

    Martin Haag
    Ex-Bath forward on BBC Radio Bristol

    It was a tough call but they probably got it just right with the red card.

    They've got a lot of calls right so far in this game.

    It's disappointing because obviously I don't want to see a player get a red card especially in a final but there's still a long way to go in this game.

    This is something Bath may have trained for.