Only once in the past seven years has an away team won a Premiership semi-final and there was seldom much sign of Northampton bucking the trend in north London. Saracens are now into their seventh final in the last 10 seasons and in pole position to claim their first title since 2019.
The Saints could not be faulted for effort or spirit but they were up against opponents whose collective energy and defensive cohesion were significantly superior. Saracens were also impressively clinical early on, establishing a 21-3 lead inside the opening half hour and rarely allowing their grip to slacken thereafter. “I thought it was our strongest defensive performance for years,” said Mark McCall, their director of rugby. “It’s always been in the DNA of the club but that’s as good as we’ve been for a while. That laid the foundation for the victory and the performance. We got control of a very good attacking team.”
