Exeter Chiefs 32-12 Saracens result - Max Norey sets hosts on course for Gallagher PREM play-offs as Mark McCall era ends in defeat
PREM / Regular
Sandy Park / 06.06.2026
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Updated 06/06/2026 at 20:27 GMT+1
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08:27 PM
HIGHLIGHTS: EXETER BEAT SARACENS TO SEAL PLAY-OFF SPOT
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Highlights: Exeter secure stunning win over Saracens to seal spot in play-offs
Video credit: TNT Sports
17:42
EXETER EASE PAST SARACENS TO SET UP SEMI-FINAL CLASH WITH BATH RUGBY
Exeter Chiefs produced a brilliant performance to beat Saracens 32-12, securing third place and setting up a Gallagher PREM semi-final clash with Bath Rugby at the Recreation Ground.
Tries from Max Norey, Henry Slade, Andrea Zambonin and Stephen Varney secured victory as Mark McCall’s incredible 17-year reign at Saracens ended in disappointment.
Saracens took an early lead after a sustained period of pressure, with Tobias Elliott walking over in the corner, after a fantastic pass from Max Malins.
Exeter hit back through the boot of Gallagher PREM top points scorer Slade, who slotted over a penalty to reduce the deficit to two points.
Slade produced again just before half-time, making a last-ditch tackle to stop Rotimi Segun from scoring Saracens' second try.
Fergus Burke had produced a brilliant break through the Exeter defence before looping a pass wide to Segun, who thought he had scored.
However, a TMO review showed Slade’s tackle had forced the Saracens winger to knock the ball on, rather than ground it.
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'It means so much' - Norey scores huge try to edge Exeter ahead of Sarries
Video credit: TNT Sports
The Chiefs fought back right at the end of the first half, with Norey diving over in the corner to put his side ahead for the first time in the match.
Slade broke through the Saracens defence and went to set Campbell Ridl up for an easy try but Charlie Bracken deliberately knocked the ball on and was awarded a yellow card for his offence.
Slade kicked to the corner and Exeter produced a brilliant line-out routine, which saw the ball go back into the hands of hooker Norey to score.
It was Slade again causing Saracens issues, scoring Exeter’s second try of the match to put them into the driving seat.
Just eight minutes into the second half, Slade broke from deep, launching the ball wide, before it was played back inside by Olly Woodburn and the England international made no mistake with the finish.
The hosts continued to dominate the second half and Andrea Zambonin put them out of sight with fifteen minutes to play.
The Italian dived over from close range, after Exeter had taken a quick free kick inside the Saracens 22.
Substitute Nick Isiekwe dived over in the corner with ten minutes to go to give McCall’s side hope but it was too little too late - a story of Saracens' season.
Varney added a bonus-point try with virtually the last kick of the game, chasing down his own kick to seal a memorable afternoon for the Chiefs.
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'Chiefs in the play-offs' - Varney sends Exeter into semi-finals with sublime solo try
Video credit: TNT Sports
17:41
MARK MCCALL: I AM SAD IT IS ENDING
On the result: "It is really frustrating because the momentum swung massively just before half-time, although we did not have dominance on the scoreboard, after 39 minutes, it felt like we had dominance in their 22'. Then everything changed, we gave away a penalty, got a yellow card and all of a sudden they had the wind in their sales. We could not get a foothold after that.
On the first half: "Physically, in the first half, it is probably as good as we have been all year, and we had a couple of half-chances. But, the momentum swung massively with their try, it is incredibly disappointing.
On leaving Saracens: "I am sad that it is ending. I am proud of everybody. I have had a great time here over the last 17 years, and it is a shame it finished the way it finished.
On the legacy he leaves behind: "That is probably a question for someone else! They have given me so much, I have made so many great friends, who I will be friends with forever. We are lucky to experience what we did, with the people we experienced it with, and I will be forever grateful for that.
17:34
WHICH RUGBY MATCHES ARE ON TNT SPORTS?
Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM and Premiership Women's Rugby live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
17:29
ROB BAXTER: I AM FEELING PRETTY EMOTIONAL
"I am feeling pretty emotional about the whole thing. When you go through what we went through last season and then get a day like today, the high's and lows of sport are incredible. I don't think I have enjoyed a two minutes of rugby as much as the two minutes after Stephen Varney scored, for a long, long time.
"We need to make sure we are competitive and ready to go next week. There is a long way to go.
"I have to give credit to the players, because they decided they were going to score. At the end of the first half, we played how we said we would play. That was the blueprint for the second half and built us the pressure we needed to win the match.
"The big thing is to talk about that games are decided by things you do, not that you don't do, so we have to live in the moment. We did that really well at Leicester, but we were nervy in the first half today. We started the second half well.
"The bigger the games get, players like Henry Slade just get better. The pressure of the game has less of an effect on players like him, they just grow. If they make mistakes, they don't care and they just grow and grow and grow," said Rob Baxter to TNT Sports.
17:21
17:19
HENRY SLADE: IT IS A REALLY GOOD FEELING
"It is a really good feeling, we got used to it a while back, but you don't really know how much you enjoy something until you have not got it. It is awesome to have done it, especially after what we went through last season.
"The boys came in for pre-season with the bit between their teeth and worked really hard. Credit to the boys, they have been fantastic and have given us a great opportunity to keep going for another couple of weeks, hopefully.
"Of course it felt better against these opponents (Saracens), just a little bit more.
"We started with a bit of nerves, we spoke about not playing with nerves, but we did start with nerves, understandably. A lot of the boys have not played in the play-off's before. Maybe they were worried about getting knocked out. Once we got over that, we did really well and grew into things."
"Rob Baxter set it out for us at the start of the year that we want to be an incredibly hard team to beat, that if we don't win, then we draw. We have to scrap and fight for everything and that's what we have been doing.
"Whoever we play against, we know it is going to be an incredibly tough game, but we are looking forward to it," said Henry Slade to TNT Sports.
17:13
WHAT A CAREER
17:10
SCORES ON THE DOORS
What a final day of the Gallagher PREM, with Northampton Saints to face Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby to face Exeter Chiefs next weekend in the semi-finals.
Bath Rugby 24-22 Leicester Tigers
Exeter Chiefs 32-12 Saracens
Gloucester Rugby 54-21 Newcastle Red Bulls
Harlequins 38-31 Northampton
Sale Sharks 38-17 Bristol Bears
'It means so much' - Norey scores huge try to edge Exeter ahead of Sarries
Video credit: TNT Sports
FT
CHIEFS SECURE PLAY-OFF SPOT! EXETER 32-12 SARACENS
Exeter set up semi-final clash with Bath Rugby at the Recreation Ground!
What a game of rugby.
78'
TRY! EXETER 32-12 SARACENS (VARNEY)
That is that! The ball falls loose inside Exeter's half and scrum-half Varney kicks deep and eventually chases his own kick down to dive over.
Slade adds the extra two points to finish off a brilliant afternoon for Exeter.
75'
CHANGE. EXETER 25-12 SARACENS
Ikitau is replaced by Zack WImbush in midfield for Exeter.
72'
TRY! EXETER 25-12 SARACENS (ISIEKWE)
Saracens produce a brilliant attacking move, working the ball wide to Isiekwe, who dives over in the corner.
Farrell adds the extra two points; they couldn't could they?
70'
SARRIES BATTLING. EXETER 25-5 SARACENS
The visitors are still battling, but with ten minutes to play, they need a miracle to win this match.
65'
TRY! EXETER 25-5 SARACENS (ZAMBONIN)
Exeter have a third try! The Chiefs win a penalty on Saracens' scrum deep inside their 22'.
The hosts decide to tap and go, with Andrea Zambonin diving over from close range.
Slade adds the extra two points to create a 20-point gap.
16:48
WATCH: SLADE PUTS CHIEFS IN CONTROL
16:45
WHICH RUGBY MATCHES ARE ON TNT SPORTS?
Watch and stream the Gallagher PREM and Premiership Women's Rugby live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
59'
VISITORS GETTING DESPERATE. EXETER 18-5 SARACENS
Time is running out for Saracens if they don't want their season to end this afternoon.
Exeter are still dominating and it's going to take something special from Mark McCall's side now.
53'
SARACENS CHANGES. EXETER 18-5 SARACENS
Owen Farrell, Theo Dan, Nick Isiekwe, Noah Caluori all enter the pitch, replacing George, McFarland, Burke and Segun.
52'
PENALTY! EXETER 18-5 SARACENS (SLADE)
Slade slots another penalty over as Exeter extend their lead.
Things are starting to fall apart for Saracens.