Premiership Final

[Digby]

Minute 22

Simmonds makes the extra 2, Sarries kick off left again the kick is beyond the catching pod. Exeter take the ball into contact

[Digby]

Minute 23

Thrilling this minute. Exeter box kick clear, Sarries can't take it, Yeandle gets the ball back to White who isn't remotely interested in playing even with a man advantage and Sarries not set in defence but kicks the ball deep into Sarries 22. Farrell tracks back and clears up past halfway. In defence of White the ball back from Yeandle was shovelled to the floor, perhaps there would have been intent had Yeandle taken contact or made a decent pass

[Digby]

Minute 24

Not a clean take for Exeter in the lineout with Kruis getting up fast and putting pressure on the catcher. Luckily for Exeter the ball makes its way to Devoto who does well in traffic to get some go forward

Exeter don't remotely play with the same speed as Sarries, and they're going sideways and at best getting parity in contact. White box kicks the ball away which Sarries claim and take into contact.

[Digby]

Minute 25

Skelton shows it's easy to win contact if you're simply much heavier and fit enough to move. Armand possibly had a chance to get over the ball but wasn't quick enough to get low enough to attack the ball.

Sarries bring the ball out to Barritt who's chopped down by Williams, ref is fine with the tackle, I couldn't tell if there was arm in there or not, Williams has form for no arm tackles but the ref was pretty close. Maitland makes a halfbreak on the next phase and then at his tackle Exeter again have a chance to contest the ball with Goode the only Sarries player there to stop counter Ruckers, Exeter have England wannabe 7 Kvesic and the actual England openside Nowell there and neither even really tries to drive Goode back, maybe it's just how it is now but it grates on me that a 7 or 8 doesn't at least let the little back know if he wants to bridge over the ball it's going to hurt

Sarries are still able to play the more fluent rugby, even down a man. Exeter don't have the same linespeed in defence, though Sarries at times do give themselves depth to defeat a blitz. There's a weird little moment when Farrell swaps his stance to make a 2yd pass to his right off his right hand, but he ends the minute showing he can pass off his left, sending Lozowski up into a dominant contact.

[Digby]

Minute 26

Goode ends up putting a kick through which goes out along the floor near the Exeter 22.

Exeter win the lineout and then a pen so fling it wide, Nowell makes good ground keeping on his feet and driving in contact. Ball gets to O'Flaherty in the middle of the park, ahead of him he has George and Koch slightly to his inside, and Billy, Wray and Skelton slightly to his outside, none of them you'd suspect want a winger running at them almost half an hour into a half on a hot day. O'Flaherty also has mean outside him. Naturally O'Flaherty drifts across the field with the ball to target Liam Williams, probably the Sarries player least bothered by defending a wing and taking space from the men on his outside

[Digby]

Minute 27

In fairness to O'Flaherty he does partially step Williams before being taken by a covering defender. Wray gets the ball back on the Sarries side, but there's no ruck so Dennis just picks it up and runs, Billy complains to the ref rather than working back (I suppose it is a hot day). Sarries get Dennis down with Spencer and Williams, Williams even steals the ball but has a good in touch so it's a lineout to Exeter, Williams was close to giving away a pen with his breakdown work anyway so I don't feel too sorry for him

Exeter win the lineout but again can't get a drive going so move the ball one out playing towards the middle.

[Digby]

Minute 28

Exeter make some ground back down the shortside with Yeandle, and then work back infield where Williams knocks on in the tackle. Not sure the knock one from George earlier in the minute wasn't deliberate, but the ref didn't think so and I can't be bothered going back to check.

[Digby]

Minute 29

Sarries have a defensive scrum in their half with Liam Williams on the blindside flank behind Koch. Exeter again annoy the ref on their engagement though and concede a free kick, just stupid work from Exeter. Indeed given the earlier free kick Barnes might have gone full penalty.

[Digby]

Minute 30

Sarries don't take the defensive scrum but put up and put up a high ball. Exeter take the ball and take contact, Exeter put the ball one out to Kvesic but praise be he actually moves the ball again just to give the Sarries defence something to think about for once and it helps Yeandle make some ground in contact. Given Exeter are not dominating contact their efforts to move the ball so far have not been impressive.

A phase or two later and Skinner has the ball ripped in contact, I've some sympathy for Skinner as he was looking to use Yeandle on his outside but they weren't on the same wave length and in the end Yeandle had slightly overrun the ball, not perhaps anyone's fault just players seeing different things, but it did mean Skinner wasn't set going into contact to protect the ball. No matter as Exeter claim the ball back and then Nowell again makes plenty of ground past his initial contact.

Exeter are now playing with greater depth which is allowing them to play more, but they can't quite pick the right lines, drive the right man in contact or pick the right pass. Nice feet from Simmonds too though at one point.

[Digby]

Minute 31 & 32

Might as well lump these as Exeter make their way towards the Sarries try line and then rather than Yeandle picking to go himself he moves the ball one further man out and Hill is able to drive over the line. Without doubt Exeter have had their best period of the match so far, but Sarries still look much better with the ball.

One further observation, Sarries are some senses fortunate with the last two Exeter tries, had they not been scored there could well have been further yellows issued.

[Digby]

Minute 33

Simmonds rattles the posts with the attempt for 2 more points. No dice

Sarries restart beyond the catching pod again, Nowell catches and slips the fast chasing Williams before Exeter go into contact.

[WaspInWales]

Was an outstanding final tbh. Yeah sloppy at times from both teams, but it had just about everything.

I was willing Exeter to win and they came mighty close, but Sarries are a phenomenal team and showed some real grit and heart to get back into it and take the lead.

[twitchy]

Carrying on from the "finances" chat from earlier. Just looking at my podcast feed this morning and the title of brian moore's latest episode is "exeter need to learn from liverpool and sign some world class players".

Now brian is an intelligent guy and I haven't actually heard what he has to say. That said it really struck me how exe have to lose cordero to gain hogg of that makes sense.

[Digby]

Minute 34

Exeter make a reasonable exit with a box kick, but there's only a one man chase. That doesn't matter too much as Exeter drive over the ruck at the ensuing tackle to claim the ball and then make a couple of positive carries. Like against Leinster the Sarries defence is strong in contact, and making a lot of tackles that are as high as you'd want to go to avoid danger/penalties

Exeter make some sloppy passes in this minute that have the receiver on consecutive passes almost jumping into the air rather than running onto the ball, it's hard to stress the Sarries defence anyway without not being accurate with what you can control.

The minute ends with Moon going into contact

[Digby]

Minute 35

Moon isn't held so goes again, but the ref thinks he was held. Looks a harsh call tbh, but Exeter would be the boy who cried wolf if they tried to complain about a penalty like that.

[Digby]

Minute 36

Farrell doesn't miss the kick this time. Yet again I don't understand what the ruling is when it comes to taking kicks, you can seemingly take them from within a range of 5-10 from where the offence was, and there's nothing about taking a kick within a minute, is that correct?

[Digby]

Minute 37

Exeter restart out to the right, Kruis takes the catch not really having to move, and this close to the break the chase isn't everything a defence coach would be looking for. Sarries go for a bit of variety and exit with a box kick, it's actually very impressive from Sarries to so often get the basics right on their exit to avoid coming under needless pressure, though this time it's not a great kick from Spencer as it's landing too far infield. Nowell takes the ball under some pressure and gets to ground in contact. Exeter send the ball down the line, it's a little sideways and the passing is a little early, and again Sarries have forwards defending backs and Exeter aren't really even trying to make one or two worried such they might make a mistake.

Minute ends with Exeter making a nice little tip on pass from Yeandle. Exeter have looked better since not just taking the ball one up into contact, but still don't look the class of Saracens

[Digby]

Minute 38

There's a big double tackle on Kvesic as Exeter run a couple of phases of one out rugby that is putting Sarries back on top, Wray nicks the ball, Devoto nicks it back, rugby it would seem is a game for players off their feet.

Exeter keep the ball and are managing a little more than one out footie, but it's keep ball that isn't really hurting Sarries, Sarries have too many players who win contact

[Digby]

Minute 39

After some nice footwork from Devoto there are a succession of quick pick and goes from Exeter, it's speeding their game up and they're not giving Sarries time to get into line.

After a series of quick play the balls Exeter work their way up to the Sarries try line and then swap from a quick play the ball to a 17 second ruck, conventional thinking would suggest Sarries might have cheated to add maybe 1-2 seconds but c'mon Exeter. Exeter flop to one side and then the other of their exceptionally slow ruck

[Digby]

Minute 40

Ewers thinks he might get over after a series of close drives, but Goode who was already on the floor and out of the game when initiating the tackle on Ewers lies under the big flanker to prevent a score. Attacking scrum to Exeter

At the scrum there's a free kick to Exeter who opt to scrum again, and at the failed scrum I'd have to say the Sarries prop on the opposite side to the ref is accidentally at an angle that might even make Corbisiero raise an eyebrow. Don't see what really happens at the next scrum as the TV camera angle is suddenly withdrawn, but it's a penalty to Exeter who kick the points and take a narrow lead into HT

[morepork]

Christ man, I'm on the edge of my seat. What happened next?

[Digby]

The second half, at least I think so, I was fairly wrecked on Saturday so there has to be some chance that's a false memory

[Digby]

Minute 41

Sarries restart just into the Exeter 22 where Nowell gathers, Exeter faff about and then exit with a box kick which is only chased by one runner (again) and he's blocked allowing Liam Williams to make some easy metres back upfield. Clearly Spencer pays a price for his block.

Play continues until is moves toward where Spencer is being treated for the possible knock to the head so play is brought to a halt. I did like Goode going in at 9 to cover for Spencer being down and immediately getting scragged being too slow to play the ball

[Digby]

Minute 42

Sarries win the scrum, pass the ball to Jamboree wing Liam Williams who drops the ball and then tries to recover by playing the ball on the floor and it's a pen to Exeter.

Exeter kick the ball out for a line out which they win throwing long over the back to Devoto.

[Digby]

Minute 43

Exeter try a series of carries, a variation of plays too. Sarries give away another penalty with Itoje done for playing the ball on the floor. And Exeter kick out for another lineout, this one only metres out from the Sarries line