Weekend Results
Northampton Saints 45 – 31 Leicester Tigers
Premiership semi-final. Litchfield hat-trick. Furbank farewell brace. Saints into the Twickenham final.
Exeter Chiefs 27 – 26 Bath
Premiership semi-final. Exeter overturn 16-point deficit. Burger's try seals stunning comeback at the Rec.
Chiefs 49 – 12 Crusaders
Super Rugby Pacific semi-final. McKenzie's 150th game. Six tries in first half. Crusaders shellacked in Hamilton.
Hurricanes 57 – 21 Blues
Super Rugby Pacific semi-final. Close in first half, then Hurricanes explode. Roigard masterclass. Blues swept away.
Premiership Semi-Finals
Northampton Saints 45-31 Leicester Tigers: Franklin's Gardens was sold out and electric for an East Midlands derby that delivered everything the occasion promised. Tom Litchfield scored a first-half hat-trick and George Furbank crossed twice in his final home appearance for the club before his move to Harlequins. Hanro Liebenberg and Freddie Steward, on his 100th Premiership appearance, scored for Tigers who were competitive throughout. Northampton advance to the Twickenham final.
LIPPY'S VIEW
The Northampton versus Leicester match was an absolute cracker and a great advert for the game. It would almost be impossible to name just a few standout players; you could almost put both rosters up and pick everyone. On the Saints side, amazing young talents like Freeman, Pollock, Finn Smith, and Tom Litchfield were outstanding, with young Archie McParland putting in a fantastic shift at scrumhalf with Alex Mitchell out with a significant hamstring injury. On the Tigers side, Tommy Reffell made an outstanding contribution throughout. Billy Serle coming back from a serious injury was excellent, though you could see he was still feeling the effects. It affected some of his kicking at times, but some of the kick-passes he made and his general game management were just beautiful to behold. At the end of the day, the Saints just had too much firepower.
I have to specifically mention Henry Pollock. A lot is said about his antics, but he showed in this match what a remarkable talent he is. His work rate is exceptional, his toughness is outstanding, and he can give as much as he takes. This match showed why he can and should be a starting player in the England side. As long as he can work to no longer be a distraction, we are going to see great things from him over time. One final note: what a way for George Furbank to say farewell to Franklin's Gardens, scoring twice on his final home appearance for the club. The stands were packed, the atmosphere was electric. This is exactly what will bring more people back to the game.
Exeter Chiefs 27-26 Bath: Bath led 26-10 at half-time, scoring four tries including efforts from Beno Obano, Thomas du Toit, Joe Cokanasiga, and Henry Arundell. Exeter's bench transformed the contest after the break, with Ben Hammersley, Greg Fisilau, and Ethan Burger, who crossed on 68 minutes, scoring 17 unanswered points. With Bath's Cokanasiga in the sin bin, Burger barrelled over to complete one of the great Premiership semi-final comebacks. Exeter's unbeaten record in Premiership play-off matches now stands at seven from seven.
LIPPY'S VIEW
Bath dominated the first half, with the pack superiority and execution clarity, scoring four tries and a 16-point lead at the break. But they closed shop at half-time, and Exeter came out a completely different team in the second half. Henry Slade's missed kicks and yellow card could have been costly, but they still prevailed. I do think that with Finn Russell, Bath would have had a better chance of winning the game. The loss of Ben Spencer's experience and leadership at the end was also a factor. Bath had 40-plus phases in the dying minutes to win the game and why they didn't take the drop kick in front of the posts still astounds me. Huge credit to Exeter: 40-plus defensive phases to hold on and win. An extraordinary effort, and a fitting reward for a team that simply refused to accept defeat.
Premiership Final: Saturday June 21, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham
Northampton Saints
Top seed
Exeter Chiefs
3rd seed
Super Rugby Pacific Semi-Finals
Chiefs 49-12 Crusaders: Damian McKenzie's 150th game for the Chiefs ended in a crushing semi-final win at FMG Stadium in Hamilton. Six tries in the first half put the match beyond the Crusaders before the half-hour mark. Kyren Taumoefolau was devastating in attack and the Crusaders had no answer. David Havili scored a captain's try as the Crusaders won the second half, but the damage was long done. The Chiefs advance to a home final against the Hurricanes.
LIPPY'S VIEW
Damian McKenzie on his 150th game for the Chiefs was world-class, kicking all his conversions and running the show from the first whistle. What happened in the first 30 minutes was a complete shellacking of the Crusaders. Kyren Taumoefolau was electric, and Isaac Hutchinson at fullback continues to look like a remarkable young emerging talent. The concern from the match was Quinn Tupaea, who was outstanding before going off with what appeared to be a serious ankle injury. With the All Blacks campaign coming up, that is a real blow. He was shaping as one of the key standouts for Rennie's first squad. The Crusaders showed heart in the second half, with David Havili scoring a captain's try and winning the second stanza, but by then the damage was done. If the way these teams are playing is a sign of what will be brought to the international game, we are all in for a huge treat.
Hurricanes 57-21 Blues: A close first half at Hnry Stadium in Wellington, with the Blues trailing only 19-14 at one point. The Blues lost AJ Lam and Caleb Clarke to failed HIAs, removing their two most dangerous attacking threats. The second half was one-way traffic. Cameron Roigard controlled the tempo with the authority of a player at the peak of his powers. Du Plessis Kirifi was all over the field throughout. Eli Oudenryn scored a remarkable individual try late on for the Blues. The Hurricanes advance to their first Super Rugby final since 2016.
LIPPY'S VIEW
The Blues competed well, and it was close in the first half, but losing AJ Lam and Caleb Clarke to failed HIAs took away their two best attacking threats. Even with that, I never really felt like the Blues were going to win. In the second half the Hurricanes turned it up to another level entirely, like watching the Harlem Globetrotters. Cam Roigard continues to cement his place as one of the best scrumhalves in the world. Du Plessis Kirifi was an absolute Trojan in the loose, playing like a man on a mission to lock his All Blacks place. Asafo Aumua is the pick of the New Zealand hookers right now. There has been chat about Codie Taylor as a potential All Blacks captain, but he is no longer the in-form hooker in New Zealand. Watch out in future years for Eli Oudenryn, the replacement Blues hooker who scored an amazing try at the end, pure pace for a hooker, an extraordinary finish. The Chiefs versus Hurricanes final is going to be epic.
Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final: Saturday June 20, Hnry Stadium, Wellington
Hurricanes
1st seed
Chiefs
2nd seed
Around the Grounds: What the Pundits Are Saying
Tony Brown to join All Blacks after 2027 World Cup: NZR has confirmed Tony Brown will leave the Springboks after the 2027 Rugby World Cup to join Dave Rennie's All Blacks coaching staff on a two-year contract from 2028. Brown has been the Springboks' attack coach since 2024 and was previously highly regarded for his work with Japan. He insists he remains fully committed to helping the Springboks win a third successive World Cup title before making the move. This is a significant long-term win for New Zealand rugby, securing one of the most innovative attack coaches in the world for the post-2027 cycle.
James Lowe to Tokyo Sungoliath: James Lowe is set to join Tokyo Sungoliath on a two-year deal ahead of the 2026-27 season, replacing Cheslin Kolbe who is returning to South Africa to join the Stormers. Lowe had hoped to play on through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup but contract negotiations with Leinster broke down, and under IRFU eligibility rules his move abroad effectively ends his Ireland career. He represented Ireland 45 times. For Sungoliath, it is a marquee signing into a squad that still has Sam Cane as captain. A bittersweet end to a brilliant chapter in Irish rugby.
Looking Ahead
Friday June 19: URC final, Leinster vs Bulls, Croke Park, Dublin.
Saturday June 20: Super Rugby Pacific Grand Final, Hurricanes vs Chiefs, Hnry Stadium, Wellington.
Saturday June 21: Premiership final, Northampton Saints vs Exeter Chiefs, Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Weekend of June 20-21: Top 14 quarter-finals, Stade Francais Paris host La Rochelle; Pau host Racing 92. Semi-finals the following weekend, final at Stade de France, June 27.