Monday 1 June 2015 15:18, UK
Saracens have been crowned Premiership champions after producing a superb all-round display to beat Bath 28-16 in the final at Twickenham.
Sarries suffered an agonising defeat in last year’s final but made no mistake this time, dominating a first-half in which they kept Bath’s vaunted back division fairly quiet and scored three fine tries themselves.
It was 25-3 at half-time and, although Bath were much improved after the break, reducing the deficit to nine points at one point, Saracens were in charge again for the last 10 minutes and comfortably held on.
Sarries got off to a fantastic start on a sunny afternoon in west London, defending well when Bath enjoyed some early possession and then grabbing the opening score as Owen Farrell went over.
Bath failed to find touch and Saracens launched a counter-attack, David Strettle making good ground down the right, before the ball was moved left and Farrell combined with Duncan Taylor, then touched down in the corner after fooling the defence with a dummy.
Farrell added a lovely conversion and then almost created another try with a clever cross-field kick but Strettle knocked on as he jumped to try and catch it.
However, Sarries did not have to wait long for their second try, striking again in the 14th minute.
Bath were architects of their own downfall on this occasion, coughing the ball up in midfield when a Kyle Eastmond pass was too hot for Ross Batty to handle and England call-up Jamie George did really well to gather the ball and make it to the line, despite being pursued by the speedy Bath backs.
Farrell did not kick the conversion but he did make it 15-0 five minutes later when Bath prop David Wilson infringed at a scrum.
Bath found themselves with a mountain to climb but at least managed to open their account in the 26th minute when George Ford kicked a penalty after Semesa Rokoduguni set off after his own chip-ahead and was impeded by Alex Goode.
But Sarries scored a delightful try eight minutes before the interval as Taylor made an interception and Strettle sensationally kicked the ball up into his own hands to keep the break alive.
He was stopped short in the end but his team mates were queuing up to score down the left and Mako Vunipola had time to fumble the ball, before recovering to combine with George and put wing Chris Wyles over.
Farrell’s conversion made it 22-3 and he then put the seal on a tremendous half for Saracens by kicking a penalty after Wilson’s illegal tackle on Maro Itoje.
Bath were in determined mood at the start of the second half and their forwards made good ground before Ford booted a three-pointer after a high tackle from Farrell on Jonathan Joseph.
And they then bagged their first try in the 52nd minute, brilliantly finished by England man Joseph.
Eastmond was stopped just short down the left but Bath worked it right and Joseph used a trademark sidestep to power past his opposing centre Taylor and touch down.
Ford kicked the conversion and then reduced the deficit to 16-25 with a penalty after George Kruis was penalised for making contact with Domonic Day while he was in the air at a line-out.
However, Saracens responded and Farrell kicked a three-pointer of his own to make it 28-16, Bath replacement Ollie Devoto having been caught offside as Saracens attacked down the middle.
The Saracens defence then stiffened during a crucial 10-minute period in which they kept Bath at bay without too much difficulty.
And Sarries almost grabbed an insurance try when Chris Ashton brilliantly kept in a clever kick from his fellow replacement Charlie Hodgson but Matt Banahan managed to dive on the ball as it bounced around near the line.
But the action was all taking place in the Bath half now and, although Hodgson put a late drop goal attempt wide, Sarries easily held on to be crowned champions for the first time since 2011.
And they also became the first club since the Premiership play-offs were introduced 12 years ago to lift the silverware after finishing outside the top two positions in the end-of-season standings.
Man of the match Farrell finished with 18 points on the day but could yet find himself in trouble with the citing commissioner, following a high tackle early in the game that forced Bath full-back Anthony Watson to the sidelines.
