Saracens will play Leicester Tigers in the final at Twickenham Stadium on June 18; Ben Earl's hat-trick among five tries for Saracens in their 34-17 success over Harlequins, as Leicester defeated Northampton 27-14 in the other semi-final
Saturday 11 June 2022 19:17, UK
Saracens completed an immediate return to the Gallagher Premiership final after showing their steel to withstand a late Harlequins onslaught in a 34-17 victory at the StoneX Stadium.
In their first season back in the top flight after being relegated for repeated salary cap breaches, they overcame the defending champions in an intense semi-final despite being reduced to 13 men at one stage during the final quarter.
Ben Earl, the Premiership's newly-crowned player of the season, led the charge with a hat-trick of tries while Nick Tompkins and Aled Davies also crossed in a determined performance that was orchestrated brilliantly by Owen Farrell.
A bloodied Farrell finished with his head wrapped in a bandage as evidence of the ferocity of a stormy London derby that possessed the spite of previous meetings and delivered fully on expectations.
Quins endured a particularly-damaging period when hooker Jack Walker was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle in the third quarter, leaking two converted tries in a dramatic shift in balance.
The defending champions fought desperately to overcome the 27-12 deficit but, even when yellow cards to Elliot Daly and Billy Vunipola reduced Saracens to 13 men, they could not take full advantage.
Saracens lost a third player to the sin-bin when Alex Lozowksi also departed for a high tackle - the match's four yellow cards were for the same offence - but their resilience swept them to a deserved win.
Leicester reached their first Gallagher Premiership final for nine years after George Ford inspired an intense 27-14 victory over Northampton at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Tigers, who extended their unbeaten home record in English rugby's flagship domestic competition to more than a year, were given a major examination by their East Midlands rivals throughout an emotion-charged play-off, but Ford set them on their way by scoring 22 points.
A minute's applause took place before kick-off in memory of Tiffany Youngs, whose husband Tom retired in April following a career that saw him captain the club and make more than 200 first-team appearances.
Tom's brother, England scrum-half Ben Youngs, started for Leicester as Tigers booked a Twickenham appointment with Saracens next Saturday.
Ford, on his final Leicester home appearance before joining Sale later this summer, contributed a try, conversion, four penalties and a drop-goal, and delivered a scoring pass for Freddie Steward's clinching late touchdown.
Saints replied through a Tommy Freeman touchdown, with Dan Biggar kicking two penalties and James Grayson one but Wales international Biggar went off early in the second period after appearing to suffer a knock.
But ultimately, it was Leicester's day, setting up a pulsating finale when they will go in search of a ninth Premiership title.
