Premiership Rugby: Leicester, Sale and Bristol into semi-finals

BBC News

3 days ago

Update:
Date: 17:36 BST
Title: Bye for now...
Content: After 36 weeks and 18 rounds of regular-season action, we have the four clubs that will be going for Premiership glory this season.
Leaders Bath will face fierce rivals Bristol on Friday night in what could be an outrageously entertaining game of attacking rugby between two sides that flood forward with fearless aggression.
Then we have second-placed Leicester Tigers up against Sale Sharks on Saturday. It is a match that screams rugby union arm-wrestle!
You can follow radio and live text commentaries of both those matches right here on the BBC Sport website.
Until then, adios.
Update:
Date: 17:33 BST
Title: The final standings
Content: So the day ends as it began with Leicester and Sale both getting over the line to secure third and fourth place, respectively.
Bristol came through a breathless match with Harlequins, while Gloucester and Saracens both won their games but ultimately fell short.
Update:
Date: 17:30 BST
Title: 'I'm unbelievably excited' - Curry
Content: FT: Exeter 26-30 Sale
Sale captain Ben Curry told TNT Sports:
"Credit to Exeter, they're an unbelievable team and we knew that coming down here.
"Where they are in the table probably doesn't reflect how good a side they are - all credit to Exeter but we can definitely do better. We know there's more in us.
"Rob [du Preez] said we were fighting for another Monday together and we've got that so we're very grateful to get into a semi-final. We've worked unbelievably hard to get there."
On the Premiership play-off semi-final against Leicester Tigers next Saturday:
"I can't wait - one of those ones, Welford Road away, I'm unbelievably excited already."
Update:
Date: 17:24 BST
Title: 'There'll be fireworks at Bath' - MacGinty
Content: FT: Bristol 52-26 Harlequins
Bristol Bears fly-half AJ MacGinty speaking to TNT Sports:
"It's massive [to win today]. I think we wanted to finish the season strong.
"Our home form this season hasn't been great so there was an edge this week, a lot to play for so we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to come out and deliver.
"We spoke a lot about it being 11 months of hard work to get to this point and let's finish the job and get that play-off spot.
"Next week at the Rec's going to be a hell of an atmosphere."
On the semi-final against Bath:
"Since I've been here it's the one game that the players and the local lads, it gets the going like no other game.
It means so much to the boys to represent Bristol and what it means to the fans, so yeah fireworks next week - fireworks."
Update:
Date: 17:21 BST
Title: 'Cheika is world class'
Content: FT: Leicester 42-20 Newcastle
Tom VarndellFormer England and Leicester wing on BBC Radio Leicester
If Michael Cheika can mould his Leicester side properly they can absolutely beat Sale, and get themselves into the final.
He is a world class coach and has the ability to get someone ready for war, and Leicester will be seeing it as going to war two weeks in a row.
It's also huge that the match will be at home, with the Welford Road crowd behind the players.
Update:
Date: 17:19 BST
Title: 'I'm so proud' - Sanderson
Content: FT: Exeter 26-30 Sale Sharks
Sale Director of Rugby Alex Sanderson told TNT Sports:
"I've got one of these smart watches to track my heart rate and the alarm was going off for the whole of the second half.
"Nerve-wracking and probably made it tough for ourselves at times but chuffed that we're in the semi-finals but we've got to be better than that.
"We'll have a good crack on the plane home tonight and I'll lean into Sunday and maybe get a bottle of Malbec and then it's all hands to the pump again on Monday morning.
"It's such a good group. I'm so proud of them."
On finding out about Sale's semi-final opponents, Leicester Tigers:
"Oh well good. We've learned some lessons and we'll have to put that right from two or three weeks ago. I'll be looking forward to going back down there."
Update:
Date: 17:16 BST
Title: Post
Content: FT: Exeter 26-30 Sale
Brent PilnickBBC Sport at Sandy Park
That was some finish at Sandy Park, but in the end the home fans go home disappointed.
It was a valiant effort from Exeter, and one that will give them hope for next season.
As for Sale, they can be buoyed by some of their first half attacking play, but they will know they have to work on their defence as they struggled to cope with Exeter at times after the break.
Update:
Date: 17:13 BST
Title: 'Play-offs will be cracking'
Content: FT: Bristol 52-26 Harlequins
Gareth ChilcottEx-England and Bath prop on BBC Radio Bristol
Bristol will need to work on their defence this week but you know the play-offs will be a cracker.
Bath will be worried about this Bristol side, especially because they've just been beaten by Saracens.
It could go either way.
Update:
Date: 17:10 BST
Title: Semi-finals confirmed
Content: Premiership play-off semi-final fixtures
So there we go, at the end of the day the table stayed as it was before this afternoon started.
1 Bath
2 Leicester
3 Sale
4 Bristol
That means that next week our two semi-finals will be:
Bath v Bristol, Friday, 6 June (19:45 BST)
Leicester v Sale, Saturday, 7 June (15:30 BST)
Update:
Date: 17:05 BST
Title: Post
Content: And breathe.
The curtain has closed on the 18th and final round of the 2024-25 Premiership season and we have full-time in all five of our matches.
Let's see where that leaves us, shall we and get some reaction.
Update:
Date: 17:01 BST
Title: Full-time
Content: Leicester 42-20 Newcastle
Leicester have themselves a shot at a record-extending 12th Premiership crown.
This win sets up a home semi-final against Sale Sharks next week.
It will be another emotional day as it is the last chance for a number of favourites, including living club legends Ben Youngs and Dan Cole, to play at home.
Update:
Date: 17:00 BST
Title: Full-time
Content: Gloucester 41-26 Northampton
Gloucester did all they could to try snatch a play-off spot today, but results elsewhere mean they fall just short.
Headlining the win was Christian Wade, who signs off a Premiership player with two tries.
He switches rugby codes next week to join Super League giants Wigan Warriors.
Update:
Date: 17:00 BST
Title: Converted try: Leicester 42-20 Newcastle
Content: Ollie Hassell-Collins (78 mins) con Ben Volavola
Ollie Hassell-Collins gets the try he has richly deserved today!
It's a score that completes an ultimately comfortable win that secures a home play-off semi-final next week.
Update:
Date: 16:58 BST
Title: Try: Gloucester 41-26 Northampton
Content: Christian Wade (79 mins)
Christian Wade has signed off from rugby union in style!
He races away with all the flash that has made him one of the Premiership's most prolific try-scorers.
Gloucester will win this easy, but they will fall short of the play-offs.
Update:
Date: 16:56 BST
Title: Full-time
Content: Bristol 52-26 Harlequins
It'll be at least one more game for this captivating Bristol side as the final whistle confirms the victory that secures fourth spot for the Bears.
An incredible 12 tries today at Ashton Gate between two of the league's great entertainers.
A wonderful game to wrap things up in Bristol for another year. They'll face local rivals Bath for a place at Twickenham.
Update:
Date: 16:56 BST
Title: 'Curry relieved'
Content: FT: Exeter 26-30 Sale
Chris MallabandBBC Radio Manchester
It was a valiant effort by Chiefs to get back into this, but you just know Ben Curry will be the most relieved man in the stadium.
His misplaced pass could've led to a try.
Update:
Date: 16:55 BST
Title: Converted try: Leicester 35-20 Newcastle
Content: Sammy Arnold (76 mins) con Brett Connon
Newcastle have not relented, despite being well done late on.
Sammy Arnold finishes off a well worked team move before Brett Connon converts.
Just three minutes left in this one.
Update:
Date: 16:54 BST
Title: Full-time: Exeter 26-30 Sale
Content: Sale breathe a MASSIVE sigh of relief.
With the last play of the game, Exeter look to play ball in hand but an overcooked pass sees the ball go out of play and that is that.
It was a terrific second-half performance from Exeter, who remember trailed at the break by 15 points, but it wasn't enough to get a result as the Sharks seal third place in the final season standings and set up a clash at Leicester Tigers next Saturday in the Premiership play-off semi-final.
Tries from Rekeiti Ma'asi-White, Bevan Rodd and England's Luke Cowan-Dickie helped them get over the line today but you would imagine they will have to play better than that if they are to get their hands on just a second Premiership title in their history.
Update:
Date: 16:54 BST
Title: Converted try: Leicester 35-13 Newcastle
Content: Matt Rogerson (73 mins), Ben Volavola
Matt Rogerson is another Leicester Tigers players on their way out at the end of the season, and he has come up with a bit of a leaving present.
Solomone Kata shifts the ball to Rogerson, who barges over to finish.
It is blow-out now.
Update:
Date: 16:53 BST
Title: Full-time
Content: Saracens 36-26 Bath
The full-time whistle brings an end to Saracens' season as they miss out on the play-offs for only the third time since 2009.
The Men in Black looked like they had wrapped the result up long ago but a very young Bath side put in a spirited fightback to bring them within 10 points at StoneX Stadium.