Saints book a spot in the Prem Final
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Northampton Saints booked their place in the Premiership final with a thrilling 45–31 victory over Leicester Tigers in a high-tempo East Midlands derby at Franklin's Gardens. The Saints' attack was the difference, producing six tries and punishing Leicester whenever space opened up, while the Tigers stayed competitive through their own powerful carrying game and five-try haul.
Saints broke the deadlock just 2 minutes in the game with players player of the year Tom Litchfield finding a gap in the Tigers defence. A few minutes later Saints make an error on their 5m line, playing a forward pass. It’s a Tigers scrum and they respond with a try as Hanro Leibenberg forces his way over from close range.
Tigers get a penalty five metres out from Saints line, they opt to tap and go and some neat hands from Ollie Chessum help release Freddie Steward, who gets the ball down at full stretch.
Hutchinson kicks it through and it causes chaos at the back for Tigers. Billy Searle and Freddie Steward collide, with neither unable to gather cleanly, and Tom Litchfield gathers the loose ball for his second try of the night.
Fin Smith makes a brilliant break and puts a brilliant kick through; Tommy Freeman gets to it first and side-foots it over the try line and finishes it with an outstretched arm.
Henry Pollock thought he was over for Saints' fourth after brilliant work from Tommy Freeman. But the No.8 was offside after the first of Freeman's kicks and the TMO Stuart Terheege correctly intervenes to rule the try out.
Leicester needed a way back in before the break - and they found one. From a lineout five metres out, they shoot the ball to the backline, Billy Searle finds Ollie Hassell-Collins with a kick-pass, and he goes over the line.
After a big turnover from Henry Pollock, Saints find a fourth try before the break. Tom Litchfield received the ball 5 metres out and was able to hold of the defender to go over for his 3rd try.
After a beautiful build-up George Furbank breaks the line and bursts over for Saints' fifth try.
Orlando Bailey darts over after a well-timed pass from Billy Searle to make it a 7-point ball game with 30 minutes to go.
With 20 minutes remaining, the Saints get another try disallowed as the TMO spotted a knock on in the build-up.
Saints playing beautiful rugby, in full flow state as Archie McParland finishes off a beautiful piece of play with a try.
Shortly after, the Billy Searle-Ollie Hassell-Collins combination strikes again. This time Searle drops it onto his right foot, and it sits up perfectly for the winger to go over for his second.
With 6 minutes left, George Furbank collects Tommy Freeman's pass and flies over in the right-hand corner to seal the deal with his second try of the night.
The victory sends Northampton Saints into the Gallagher Premiership final after finishing top of the regular-season table. Leicester's impressive first season under coach Geoff Parling ends in the semi-finals, but the Tigers showed enough quality to suggest they will remain title contender’s next season.
