Harlequins beat Exeter in Premiership final thriller

Harlequins edged out holders Exeter Chiefs 40-38 in a dramatic English Premiership final at Twickenham on Saturday.

Louis Lynagh scored two late tries on a ground where his father, Michael Lynagh, helped Australia win the 1991 Rugby World Cup final.

Harlequins beat Exeter

Quins become the first team since Saracens six years ago to finish fourth after the regular season and still be crowned champions.

This was another astonishing display by Harlequins, who had been 28-0 down in their semi-final against Bristol Bears before winning 43-36 in extra-time.

And it completed a remarkable season for the capital city side, whose Stoop headquarters are a short walk from Twickenham, after they were thrashed 49-7 by French side Racing 92 in the European Champions Cup in December.

They have also been effectively coached by a committee since parting company with director of rugby Paul Gustard in January.

Quins wing Lynagh’s late double, allied to two fine conversions by Marcus Smith, enabled them to lead 40-31 against the reigning champions with just seven minutes remaining.

But Exeter, in arguably the most stunning Premiership final of them all, scored from the restart, with Stuart Hogg going over for a converted try.

The Scotland captain’s score helped reduced Quins’ lead to just two points with 60 seconds left.

But Quins held out as the London club won their first Premiership title since 2012.

Exeter have reached the last six Premiership finals but this was a fourth defeat in the showpiece match for the southwest club following losses to Saracens in 2016, 2018 and 2019.

Premiership final Match details

Scoring sequence: 0-7 Penalty Try; 5-7 J Gray try, 7-7 J Simmonds con; 12-7 Hepburn try, 14-7 J Simmonds con; 14-12 Louw try; 14-17 Dombrandt try, 14-19 Smith con; 14-24 Esterhuizen, 14-26 Smith con; 19-26 S Simmonds try, 21-26 J Simmonds; 26-26 Devoto try, 28-26 J Simmonds con; 31-26 J Simmonds pen; 31-31 Lynagh try, 33-31 Smith con; 38-31 Lynagh try, 40-31 Smith con; 40-36 Hogg try, 40-38 J Simmonds con.

Exeter: J Nowell (H Skinner 79); A Cuthbert (S Hogg 44), H Slade, O Devoto, T O’Flaherty; J Simmonds, J Maunder (S Townsend 53); A Hepburn (B Moon 55), L Cowan-Dickie (J Yeandle 62), H Williams (M Street 75), J Gray, J Hill (S Lonsdale 75), J Kirsten, R Capstick (D Armand 44), S Simmonds.
Yellow card: J Hill, 4

Harlequins: T Green; L Lynagh, J Marchant, A Esterhuizen (B Tapuai 79), C Murley (L Northmore 59); M Smith, D Care; J Marler, S Baldwin (J Gray 59), W Louw (W Collier 59), M Symons, S Lewies (D Lamb 59), Chisholm (T Lawday 74), J Kenningham, A Dombrandt.
Yellow card: M Smith, 29

Referee: Matthew Carley

Attendance: 10,000

© Agence France-Presse