Gallagher Premiership: Exeter and Northampton brace for quickfire rematch as Bath pip Sale to sixth

Saints secured a first top-four finish since 2015, clinching the final play-off place after Harlequins lost to Wasps

Henry Slade celebrates scoring Exeter’s opening try (Reuters)

Northampton booked a quickfire return to Sandy Park in the Gallagher Premiership play-offs despite suffering a 40-21 defeat against Exeter.

Saints secured a first top-four finish since 2015, clinching the final play-off place after closest challengers Harlequins lost narrowly to Wasps.

Northampton and Quins were tied on 56 points from 22 games, but Saints won one more match and edged through as a result.

And it means regular season table-toppers Exeter and Northampton will meet again in Devon next Saturday, chasing the prize of a Twickenham appointment with Saracens or Gloucester on June 1.

Saints, who had two players in the sin bin just before half-time, tested Chiefs for large parts of an entertaining encounter and scored tries through Piers Francis, Rory Hutchinson and Cobus Reinach, with Dan Biggar adding three conversions.

The two sides will now meet again in the play-offs (Getty)

But Exeter posted a bonus-point success through touchdowns from Henry Slade, Ben Moon, Don Armand, Matt Kvesic, Dave Dennis and Luke Cowan-Dickie, plus five Joe Simmonds conversions, as they pulled away after being held 21-21 at the break.

Bath pip Sale to sixth in dramatic finale

Bath claimed a last-gasp 32-31 win at Leicester to seal a top-six Gallagher Premiership finish and a place in next season’s Heineken Champions Cup.

Jacques van Rooyen’s 78th-minute try was converted by Rhys Priestland in a dramatic finale at Welford Road to ensure a bonus-point success for Todd Blackadder’s side.

In what was centre Matt Smith’s last match before retiring, Leicester led 26-15 at the break thanks to tries from Will Spencer and Brendon O’Connor and the boot of George Ford.

Anthony Watson and Joe Cokanasiga crossed the whitewash in the first half for Bath and Beno Obano got their third try to get the visitors on the comeback trail.

Clayton Blommetjies’ try and Ford’s display looked like giving Leicester victory, until Van Rooyen had the last laugh.

Bath cross the line for a last-gasp try (Getty)

Final day results

Exeter 40-21 Northampton

Newcastle 12-19 Bristol

Leicester 31-32 Bath

Worcester 31-29 Saracens

Sale 46-41 Gloucester

Wasps 27-25 Harlequins