Leicester 15 – 6 Bath
Northampton 19 – 21 Saracens
Leicester 15 – 6 Bath
Five penalties from Toby Flood booted defending champions Leicester into a sixth-successive Guinness Premiership final after an absorbing tussle at Welford Road.
The scores were tied at 6-6 at half-time after Olly Barkley and Flood had kicked two penalties apiece in a ferocious opening half. But the Tigers took a stranglehold on the game after the interval and Flood added three further penalties to seal his side’s passage to Twickenham.
There they will meet Saracens, following the London side’s win at Northampton earlier today, in an occasion that is likely to have a bit of spice after Sarries ended Leicester’s proud unbeaten home record – one which had stretched back to September 2008 – just last weekend.
Defeat for Bath means they remain without a win at the home of their bitter rivals since November 2003, with their only two defeats in their last 13 Guinness Premiership fixtures coming at Welford Road.
Leicester made three changes from the side beaten last time out with Flood back at fly-half. Lock Louis Deacon and number eight Jordan Crane also returned. Bath, meanwhile, preferred Australian Matt Carraro to England squad member Shontayne Hape at centre.
The game opened at a frantic pace and Bath full-back Nick Abendanon came close to gathering an intelligent Butch James chip, before hooker Lee Mears broke through in a promising opening from Steve Meehan’s side.
And Barkley, who was named in the England squad for next month’s tour of Australia and New Zealand on Tuesday, rewarded that attacking endeavour by claiming the game’s first points with a 12th-minute penalty after the Tigers were penalised for hands in the ruck.
But the centre was off target with a difficult effort from near the left touchline five minutes later.
Bath’s growing confidence was exemplified by two very strong nudges at consecutive scrums and from one of them giant wing Matt Banahan was hauled down just short of the line by Scott Hamilton after taking a short pass from James.
Barkley added his second penalty at the end of an absorbing opening quarter but Flood got the Tigers on the board with a three-pointer of his own in the 23rd minute.
Leicester turned to their forward power with a series of driving mauls close to the Bath line putting the visitors under intense pressure. But a brave defensive effort, led by lock Stuart Hooper, saw the West Countrymen clear their lines.
The hosts pulled level when prop Martin Castrogiovanni won a penalty at a scrum and Flood was successful from around the 40-metre mark, although referee Chris White had to call on the video referee to adjudicate after his assistants Paul Dix and Dave Pearson were unable to determine if the ball had gone over the posts.
Leicester began the second half in purposeful mood with Flood and Anthony Allen kicking them deep into Bath territory. And they should have taken the lead after a lovely flip pass when in retreat from Flood saw Alesana Tuilagi find some space, but the Samoa cap failed to find fellow winger Scott Hamilton who was free outside him.
Another powerful Leicester attack saw Mears flop over the ball to concede a 55th minute penalty, but Flood was off target from wide on the right. But the England fly-half took full advantage when Castrogiovanni again proved too much for David Flatman to handle at a scrum, bisecting the uprights from 45 metres to give Leicester the lead for the first time. And he added to his tally again in the 64th minute with his fourth successful penalty.
Further scrum problems followed for the visitors, who were being forced to try and play their way out from deep such was the home side’s territorial dominance, and Flood again punished them with eight minutes remaining. Barkley was then off target from a difficult angle with five minutes remaining as Leicester eased through the closing minutes.
Northampton 19 – 21 Saracens
Saracens reached their first Guinness Premiership final after thwarting Northampton in an epic play-off clash at Franklin’s Gardens.
Glen Jackson’s conversion of an injury-time try by hooker Schalk Brits – awarded on the video referee’s approval – broke Northampton hearts and sent Saracens to Twickenham on May 29.
Jackson also added the extras to earlier tries by full-back Alex Goode and wing Chris Wyles as Saracens held their nerve while Saints imploded during the closing seconds by failing to manufacture a drop-goal chance for Stephen Myler.
Tries in each half by props Soane Tonga’uiha and Brian Mujati, together with three penalties from Myler, looked to have done enough for Northampton. Tonga’uiha, who was destined to join Saracens next term before agreeing fresh terms with Saints – it sparked a bitter war of words between the clubs – helped pick Northampton up by their boot-laces after being outplayed for much of the contest.
were a far more adventurous side, but once Saints got a grip up-front and began exerting a vice-like grip through their forwards there seemed no way back for the visitors. Goode, somehow overlooked for England’s summer tour to Australia and New Zealand next month, was easily the game’s most accomplished performer.
He outshone Northampton’s revered back-three of Ben Foden, Chris Ashton and Bruce Reihana by showcasing a dazzling skills-set, and his performance ultimately reaped the reward it deserved as Saracens booked a Twickenham appointment with Leicester or Bath.
Northampton, beaten by Saracens on home soil 22 days ago, fielded South African Mujati in the tighthead role instead of Scotland international Euan Murray, whose religious beliefs mean he does not play on a Sunday. The visitors, meanwhile, were boosted by Goode’s recovery from a thumb injury. Goode reclaimed his familiar number 15 shirt, which meant Wyles switching to the wing instead of Richard Haughton.
The clubs’ fifth meeting this season followed an acrimonious month marred by the Tonga’uiha affair, in addition to Northampton criticising Saracens’ victory celebrations at the Gardens three weeks ago. Early exchanges were inevitably feisty, with top English referee Wayne Barnes wasting little time exerting his authority on what was expected to be an explosive contest.
It took Barnes barely seven minutes to brandish a yellow card, and Saracens could have no complaints after their flanker Jacques Burger was sin-binned. Saints number eight Roger Wilson’s defence-splitting run ended with him being hauled down by Burger, but when the South African blatantly prevented quick possession being recycled, he left Barnes with little option.
Myler kicked the resulting penalty, yet Saracens made light of their temporary one-man disadvantage by conjuring a stunning try in his absence. Brits made a decisive midfield break, finding lock Mouritz Botha in support, before Jackson found Goode, who finished in clinical fashion. Jackson added the conversion, and with Saints conceding penalties at alarmingly frequent intervals, Saracens began to establish a degree of control.
They regularly looked to free game-breaking runners like Burger, Botha and Brits, while Goode provided a touch of class behind. Saints eagerly looked for Ashton – the Guinness Premiership’s top try-scorer this term – to orchestrate their attacking game, but Saracens remained dominant until they were stung on the stroke of half-time.
An intense physical encounter began to take its toll, with players from both sides requiring treatment, yet the pain was all Saracens’ when Tonga’uiha punished them. The heavyweight Tongan rumbled his way along the touchline, smashing would-be Saracens defenders out of his path, and he touched down following a 30-metre break that gave Northampton an 8-7 interval advantage.
Myler quickly extended the lead with his second penalty, only for Saracens to hit back through another slick score. Goode capitalised on Saints centre Jon Clarke losing possession, and it was lock Hugh Vyvyan who freed Wyles with a perfectly-delivered pass. Jackson’s conversion made it 14-11, yet Northampton rapidly drew level courtesy of a mammoth Myler penalty strike from wide out just a metre inside Saracens’ half.
And it gave Saints momentum, with their forwards keeping possession at close quarters to drive Saracens back and enable Mujati to touch down underneath a pile of bodies. Although Myler missed the conversion, Northampton entered the final quarter holding a five-point lead and knowing that one more score would leave Saracens with a mountain to climb.
But Saracens gave it everything in pursuit of victory, and their patience was rewarded when Brits stormed across for a try before Jackson’s conversion saw them home amid dramatic scenes.