Exeter secure home semi

Wing Jack Nowell scored a hat-trick as Exeter beat Harlequins 62-24 on Saturday, while there were also English Premiership wins for Bath, Northampton, Sale, Wasps and Saracens.

The Chiefs held a slender 17-10 lead at the break at Twickenham Stoop, before scoring seven second-half tries to complete a 10-try rout to book a home semi-final against Wasps.

Had Exeter lost the fixture it would have been reversed with the Chiefs having to face Wasps at the Ricoh Arena.

The hosts opened the scoring in the third minute with flyhalf Nick Evans slotting a penalty goal. The Exeter Chiefs then took a seven-point lead with two quick tries from wings James Short and Jack Nowell. Flank Dave Ewers then scored a converted try for the vistiors, but scrumhalf Danny Care crossed for a converted try for Harlequins on the stroke of half-time to reduce the deficit back to seven points.

Nowell completed his hat-trick within 15 minutes of the restart, with Short also crossing for another score, to extend Exeter’s lead to 26 points. Three more tries from fullback Phill Dollman, scrumhalf Will Chudley and centre Henry Slade put the game out of Harlequins’ reach.

Quins pulled one back with 10 minutes to play as centre Wilton Stanley found his way over the whitewash for a converted try, but it was undone a minute later as Exeter flank Julian Salvi crossed for the visitors' 10th try to complete a comprehensive 36-point victory.

In the other final round fixtures on Saturday, Bath beat the Leicester Tigers 38-27 after trailing 19-10 at half-time. Wing George North scored a brace of tries as the Northampton Saints came from behind to beat Gloucester 28-20 away from home, while the Sale Sharks completed a 21-15 victory over the Newcastle Falcons.

Wasps led from start to finish as they beat London Irish 38-12 at home, while wing Chris Ashton’s hat-trick saw Saracens continue their dominant form beating the Worcester Warriors 43-19 away from home.

The semi-finals of the competition take place on Saturday, 21 May with Saracens hosting the Leicester Tigers at Allianz Park and the Exeter Chiefs welcoming Wasps to Sandy Park for the second time in four weeks.

Round 22 results:

Bath 38 Leicester Tigers 27
Gloucester 20 Northampton Saints 28
Harlequins 24 Exeter Chiefs 62
Newcastle Falcons 15 Sale Sharks 21
Wasps 38 London Irish 12
Worcester Warriors 19 Saracens 43

Photo: Tom Dulat/Getty Images