Springbok lock contender JJ van der Mescht will experience an English Premiership final after the Northampton Saints beat the Leicester Tigers at Franklin’s Gardens.
The 27-year-old came off the bench in the 62nd minute of the 45-31 semi-final win on Friday night.
Centre Tom Litchfield was Saints’ star, scoring a first-half hat-trick of tries, while fullback George Furbank crossed twice and winger Tommy Freeman and scrumhalf Archie McParland also touched down.
Leicester wing Ollie Hassell-Collins crossed twice in a pulsating playoff, but Northampton showed that finishing the regular season in first place was no fluke.
Furbank scored his second with six minutes left to ensure Northampton got the victory their thrilling attacking play deserved.
Flyhalf Fin Smith was Northampton’s Man of the Match with an influential display, including five successful conversions.
“A lot of relief with how this season has gone. If we hadn’t have got there, I think we would have felt like we had let ourselves down,” Smith said.
Bath play Exeter in the second semi-final on Saturday (4pm SA time), with Northampton lying in wait in the final at Twickenham on next Saturday.
“Massive relief. You spend all season getting your processes right, and once we got going, I think we found our rhythm,” Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson said. “We tried to enjoy it but you just want to make sure the group go out in the right way.”
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Leicester faced an earlier onslaught, with No 8 Henry Pollock heavily involved as Litchfield used his athleticism to glide over after just 87 seconds.
Leicester hit back to take the lead through flank Hanro Liebenberg and fullback Freddie Steward tries.
But Saints rallied when Litchfield struck again, before Smith darted forwards and chipped ahead for Freeman to touch down.
🧠 Fin Smith. Northampton Saints, otra vez en la final de la Premiership. pic.twitter.com/WFdXrqoqzV
— Periodismo Rugby (@Perrugby) June 12, 2026
Hassell-Collins finished a Billy Searle kick-pass before Litchfield completed his hat-trick by muscling over from close range.
Tom Litchfield with a Hat-Trick for Northampton Saints vs. Leicester Tigers.#NORvLEI #GallagherPrem #PremRugby #SinBinRugby #COYT #COYS pic.twitter.com/SCgXAvzdib
— Sin Bin Rugby. (@sin_bin_rugby) June 12, 2026
Furbank picked his moment to strike off Rory Hutchinson’s slick passing early in the second half, but Leicester refused to throw in the towel and they created the space for centre Orlando Bailey to cross.
Saints were on top and in the 66th minute they were over again with McParland rounding of an electric attack.
Hassell-Collins touched down to keep the Tigers in the hunt, but Furbank landed the knockout blow when he sprinted across the whitewash in the closing stages.
– AFP
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
