Saracens vs Gloucester LIVE: Reigning champions through to another Premiership final with crushing win
Follow the latest updates from the Premiership semi-final at Allianz Park
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Saracens will defend their Premiership title after defeating Gloucester 44-19 in a dominant display to book their place in next weekend's Twickenham showcase.
Gloucester briefly threatened an upset by scoring the first try of the match just three minutes into the semi-final through Ben Morgan, but the response from Saracens was emphatic as Sean Maitland, Ben Spencer and Liam Wiliams scored before the break.
The best was saved for the second half though, as Nick Tompkins came on to score a 28-minute hat-trick, with Gloucester scoring late consolations through Ruan Dreyer and Lewis Ludlow. Re-live the action below.
What time does it start?
Saracens vs Gloucester kicks off at 1:30pm on Saturday 25 May.
Where can I watch it?
The Premiership semi-final will be shown live on BT Sport 1 from 12:45pm.
What is the other semi-final?
Premiership table-toppers Exeter Chiefs take on Northampton Saints at 4.30pm.
Odds
Saracens: 1/6
Gloucester: 11/2
Draw (after 80 minutes): 25/1
What happens if it’s a draw?
There will be a five-minute break followed by a period of extra time of ten minutes each way, with a one-minute interval. If the scores remain equal, then the winner will be the team which has scored the most tries in the game (including extra time).
If the scores are level and the number of tries scored is equal, then there shall be a place kick competition. Each team nominates three kickers who will attempt to slot the ball through posts from six designated positions on the 10 and 22-metre lines. If the scores are tied after the six kicks for each team, it will go to “sudden death” from the middle of the 10-metre line. The three kickers must have been playing at the final whistle of extra time.
Teams
Saracens: Goode; Williams, Lozowski, Barritt, Maitland; Farrell, Spencer; Barrington, George, Koch; Skelton, Kruis; Itoje, Wray, B Vunipola.
Replacements: Gray, Adams-Hale, Judge, Isiekwe, Rhodes, Wigglesworth, Tompkins, Strettle.
Gloucester: Woodward; Sharples, Twelvetrees, Atkinson, Marshall; Cipriani, Heinz; Hohneck, Marais, Balmain; Slater, Mostert; Ackermann, Kriel, Morgan.
Replacements: Sherry, Rapava Ruskin, Dreyer, Savage, Ludlow, Polledri, Vellacott, Purdy.
Half-time: For five brilliantly frantic minutes it was the match we all dreamed of. Gloucester went full shock and awe at the start of the match, getting the Cipriani kick-off spot on and converting the early chance into seven points through Ben Morgan's well-worked score. But immediately, Saracens hit back and they have been in complete control ever since. Sean Maitland's immediate response came from smart kicking from Farrell, before Itoje's moment of brilliance put in Ben Spencer.
At 18-7, Gloucester faced a tricky challenge, but that last try from Liam Williams really took the wind out of Gloucester's sails and they face an almighty task in the second half.
Sean Maitland goes over to score Saracens's first of three first-half tries
42 mins: A devastating start to the second half. Saracens receive the ball back from a Heinz clearance kick and they immediately attack. With numbers out wide, Vunipola draws in two defenders that opens the door for replacement Nick Tompkins to burst through and score unopposed. Farrell converts and that brings up the 30 already. 30-7
45 mins: Vunipola attempts to take quick ball and Heinz's foot traps the ball, handing Saracens a penalty that Farrell will kick at goal.
46 mins: Farrell uncharacteristically misses the penalty even with the wind at his back, and the chance to add three more goes.
47 mins: Immediately Farrell gets another chance for offside, although he has to wait for the handbags to stop as Kruis and Mostert get to know each other a little better. Farrell lines up the kick on the 10m line.
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