Saracens win sixth Premiership title with spectacular 35-25 final win over Sale Sharks at Twickenham
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Published 27/05/2023 at 17:10 GMT+1
Saracens are Premiership champions again after a scintillating 35-25 win over Sale Sharks at Twickenham. Owen Farrell contributed 13 points with his boot, while Max Malins and Ivan van Zyl scored tries. Sarries were comfortable enough that veteran Jackson Wray was able to be substituted to a standing ovation with four minutes remaining. Sale had their chances, but Saracens took theirs.
Saracens' English wing Max Malins (R) celebrates with teammates after scoring a try during the Premiership Final rugby union match between Saracens and Sale Sharks at Twickenham Stadium, south-west London, on May 27, 2023. Saracens return to Twickenham fo
Image credit: Getty Images
Saracens are Premiership champions for the sixth time after a 35-25 final win over Sale Sharks at Twickenham.
Twelve months after losing the decider against Leicester, Saracens went one better and ended a four-year title drought.
Owen Farrell kicked Sarries into the lead with an early penalty, before George Ford responded in kind to level the scores in the eighth minute.
Soon afterwards, a brilliant Max Malins 50-22 kick put Saracens deep on the attack, setting the platform for another Farrell penalty. A long Ford penalty levelled things once again in the 18th minute.
Just Stop Oil protestors brought the match to a brief halt after 21 minutes, throwing orange paint before being tackled and removed by security, much to the approval of those in the stands.
Sean Maitland was forced off after a head clash and replaced by Elliot Daly. Moments after the change, Malins was taken out as he chased a loose ball in the in-goal area and Saracens were awarded a penalty try. Sale forward Tom Curry was also shown a yellow card for the infraction.
A few minutes later, Ford dragged a penalty attempt uncharacteristically wide and things seemed to be trending in a bad direction for Sale.
Still playing a man down, Sale went on the attack and eventually went over. The referee's view was obstructed by the pile of bodies though, and he sent the decision upstairs.
The TMO awarded the try to Akker van der Merwe and Ford kicked the conversion to level the scores at 13-13.
Within 60 seconds, Sale were restored to a full complement as Curry trotted back onto the field.
But Sale's upswing didn't last long as Farrell's smartly delayed pass created a gap for Malins to race into and touch down. Farrell kicked the extra two to restore Saracens' lead.
Five minutes into the second half, Tom Roebuck chased his own kick into the in-goal area before diving on the ball to give Sale their second try. Ford missed the attempted conversion from the right sideline, leaving Sarries two points ahead.
Almost immediately, Elliot Daly plunged over the try line himself to seemingly restore Saracens' lead once again, but the TMO review spotted a foot in touch and the try was ruled out.
Substitute Bevan Rodd put Sale into the lead for the first time on 53 minutes, ploughing through the Saracens line after a Manu Tuilagi break.
Long-range specialist Elliot Daly missed a penalty from halfway as Sale continued to enjoy a strong spell.
Daly then went over in the corner after excellent work from Duncan Taylor, who charged down Joe Carpenter's kick to set up the opportunity.
Farrell missed from the left sideline but Saracens were back in the lead, 28-25, with 12 minutes to play.
Saracens produced a scintillating move and appeared to have sealed victory with a try, a remarkable intervention by Carpenter appeared to have denied Ivan van Zyl. The Sale full-back somehow got his arm under the ball but the TMO overruled the on-field ruling of no try to award it.
Sarries' eight-point lead became 10 when Farrell put his conversion over. The leaders were reduced to 14 when Robin Hislop was shown a yellow card for a dangerous clear-out, but Sale could not find a way through.
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