Saracens vs Sale Sharks LIVE: Result and reaction from Premiership Rugby final after protesters disrupt game
Saracens 35-25 Sale Sharks: Saracens win their sixth Premiership Rugby title as Sale fail to end a 17-year wait for the trophy
Saracens defied a spirited Sale Sharks, a mini injury crisis and climate activists to clinch the Gallagher Premiership title for a sixth time at Twickenham.
A 35-25 victory over the Sharks made amends for last season’s last-gasp defeat by Leicester at the same stage and delivers their first silverware since being relegated for salary cap breaches in 2020.
Two Just Stop Oil protestors brought a halt to the game in the first half when they ran on to the pitch, letting off orange smoke bombs before being led away by stewards amid jeers from the crowd. Both were arrested and while orange patches were still evident on the pitch at the final whistle, the interruption failed to take the shine off an enthralling climax to the season.
Saracens threatened to pull clear before and after half-time but Sale stayed in the fight and then pounced in a dominant third quarter that saw tries by Tom Roebuck and Bevan Rodd seize the lead. But drawing on all the experience accumulated during 13 years of Premiership and European finals, Saracens showed their resolve to hit back through Elliot Daly and Ivan van Zyl.
Relive the action from the Premiership Rugby final as Saracens beat Sale:
Saracens 23-25 Sale, 58 mins
Goode caught out by a kick drilled into the floor that balloons over his head and into touch for an attacking Sale lineout. They’re on top in this second half.
Ford dodges and weaves as they get to the five-metre line.
MISSED PENALTY! Saracens 23-25 Sale, 56 mins
No problem with distance. And I mean, no problem at all - it’s still rising as it crosses the try-line but direction is off from Daly and it goes wide of the right post.
Saracens 23-25 Sale, 56 mins
Sale penalised for taking the standing leg of the man contesting for the ball in the air. It’s bang on halfway, almost on the centre spot. Elliott Daly and his powerful boot will have a go at the posts!
TRY! Saracens 23-25 SALE (Rodd try, 53 mins)
Sale are right back in this now! And it all starts with a HUGE Manu Tuilagi carry. He makes great ground to give Sale an attacking platform.
It’s worked to the right where a couple of carries get them close and Bevan Rodd cuts back inside a man and powers over. Incredible impact from the bench from the front-rower, who showed the footwork of a back not a prop.
And George Ford nails the conversion. They now lead. What a game!
Saracens 23-18 Sale, 51 mins
Plenty of Sale replacements to mix things up in the second half and keep it fresh, including Raffi Quirke and Tom O’Flaherty
PENALTY! SARACENS 23-18 Sale (Farrell penalty, 50 mins)
Sale make a mess of the defensive lineout, trying to be too clever but a knock-on from Sarries reprieves them. But Saracens now dominate the scrum and win a penalty!
Sharks have been on top at scrum-time, so that’s a bit of a turnaround. Farrell takes a shot a the posts and it’s a simple three points.
NO TRY! Saracens 20-18 Sale, 46 mins
Saracens show their attacking intent almost immediately from kick-off and score a wonderful try, only to see it chalked off! It starts with Itoje feeding Theo Dan running a brilliant line, who blazes through the defensive line.
He pops from the floor to Theo Dan and the ball is worked out wide to Elliott Daly, who steps in off his wing and glides over the line. It’s a sumptuous score but replay shows that Daly just had a foot in touch. Frustrating for him
TRY! Saracens 20-18 SALE (Roebuck try, 45 mins)
That could be decisive though! Tom Roebuck thinks he’s scored a remarkable try for Sale in the corner.
Van der Merwe makes a line break and goes for his second kick of the game. Again, it’s shanked but it stays in play, Daly dallies trying to collect the ball while retreating and has his pocket picked by Roebuck! Manages to get a boot on the ball, kicks again into the in-goal area and spectacularly dives to ground the ball before it bounces dead.
Absolutely brilliant! George Ford misses the conversion from the touchline but Sharks within two points once more.
Saracens 20-13 Sale, 43 mins
A bit of a cagey start to the second half. A good kick chase by Sale gives them a territory advantage but nothing decisive yet.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments