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Mark McCall’s men held off a spirited Sale Sharks at Twickenham
Saracens won their first Premiership title for four years after withstanding a spirited Sale Sharks display at Twickenham.
Ivan van Zyl’s try secured a sixth Premiership crown for Mark McCall’s men, who despite a late yellow card for replacement prop Robin Hislop, finished on top of a pulsating encounter between the league’s best two teams.
Van Zyl’s score with ten minutes to go put the game beyond reach after referee Luke Pearce had initially decided that Joe Carpenter had done enough to hold up the Saracens No 9.
These moments never get old 🤩@Saracens get their hands on a 6th #GallagherPrem trophy 🏆#GallagherPremFinal pic.twitter.com/rMWspq1egR
— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) May 27, 2023
TMO Tom Foley’s crucial intervention saw Saracens awarded a perhaps controversial score and Farrell’s conversion made it a ten-point game, which even for the courageous Sale Sharks proved too big a mountain to climb late on.
Read more: Ivan van Zyl try: Did he get it down?
Saracens win Premiership
A penalty try and one for Max Malins ensured Mark McCall’s side went in 20-13 up at half-time but soon saw that lead evaporate as Sale surged into the lead with under half an hour left in the capital thanks to Bevan Rodd’s try.
SARACENS ARE PREMIERSHIP CHAMPIONS FOR THE SIXTH TIME!
Heartbreak last year, joy and elation this year! 😊#ITVRugby | #GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/rkHbd3U1H0
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) May 27, 2023
However, Elliot Daly’s try helped put Saracens back on the right side of the scoreline, the England international diving in at the corner to make the most of an overlap that came after fellow replacement Duncan Taylor’s charge down enabled Sarries to turn the ball over and punish Sale.
Daly had a topsy-turvy time of it after coming on early for the injured Sean Maitland. He was caught napping by Sale winger Tom Roebuck who pounced on his indecision to dribble the ball forward and lay on a ridiculous acrobatic finish.
Daly looked to have hit straight back with a try of his own after scooping up Farrell’s pass on the short side, however replays showed he clearly had a foot in touch, so the score was disallowed.
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The versatile back had another chance to get his name on the scoresheet but a long-range penalty from the halfway line drifted wide. Daly finally got his moment when sliding in at the corner.
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