Protestors want the UK to Just Stop Oil but nothing could halt Saracens at Twickenham, as the Men In Black claimed a sixth Gallagher Premiership title.
Pressure group pitch invaders halted play at a sun-drenched Twickenham, only to be dragged from the field by two of Sale’s furious players.
The Sharks ran Saracens right to the death but Mark McCall’s north Londoners found an answer to every Sale question to secure a richly deserved 35-25 triumph.
Elliot Daly thought he had scored the match-turning try only for the score to be ruled out for a toe in touch. The England wing then indeed did steal the all-important score, making no mistake second time around, and when Ivan Van Zyl bundled onto the line – only just – Saracens were back at the top of the English pile.
A penalty score would add to a try from Max Malins as Saracens prevailed, with Akker Van Der Merwe, Tom Roebuck and Bevan Rodd crossing for Sale.
And so Jamie George, Owen Farrell and Alex Goode took their Premiership title tallies to six, as the ever-present men in Saracens’ glory years.
Jackson Wray sealed a fifth and final gong before retirement, with Duncan Taylor also adding his third league title with his final game for the club.
Saracens had suffered all season after losing last term’s final 15-12. This was the long-held revenge, and in the best possible fashion – by playing with width, power and panache. They took the initiative from the off, and were unlucky that neither of two fine attacks ended in a try.
A Farrell spiral bomb that Malins recovered led to a penalty for the Men In Black, slotted by the England captain. Ford levelled at 3-3 for Sale off the tee, then Saracens lost hooker George to a head injury. Farrell ripped the ball from Manu Tuilagi to tee up a Malins 50-22 that led to Saracens’ second penalty goal.
Ford equalled the scores again off the tee, and then the protestors struck. Two arrests were made as the eco protestors made their point in orange smoke. Sale players Jono Ross and Tom Curry made theirs in return, manhandling both off the field before delivering them to stewards.
If these interventions represented citizens arrests, then how scores of annoyed sports fans and motorists up and down the country would have loved to trade places with the Sale duo.
Twickenham booed the protestors heavily on their exit, before the whole point of the day returned to the fore. No sooner had play resumed than Saracens struck, through what proved a penalty try.
Malins was tackled off the ball when the wing was about to collect and dot down for the score. Tom Curry was sin-binned for that tackle, and Saracens moved into a 13-6 lead.
Ford missed a long-range penalty shot as Sale rallied, and Van Der Merwe ploughed home after sustained pressure. Ford’s conversion levelled the game at 13-13 in an increasingly tense affair. Saracens hit back again however, with a stunning score, as Alex Goode and Nick Tompkins kept the ball alive under great pressure in the backline.
That combination then conspired to set Malins away, who beat the cover and kept his head for a fine score. Farrell’s conversion meant Saracens took a 20-13 lead into the break.
Wing Roebuck seized on Saracens’ indecision at the top of the second-half to snatch a route back into the contest however, dotting down deep in the in-goal area after Van Der Merwe’s improvised grubber.
Ford’s touchline conversion drifted just wide to leave Saracens leading 20-18, but with plenty of drama ahead. Replacement Elliot Daly thought he had scored a fine try when scything in off the wing, only for the toe of his boot to have shaved the line.
Theo Dan’s smart break was continued by Jackson Wray and Maro Itoje, before Daly so nearly stepped in. Sarries had to settle for a penalty shortly afterwards, but Sale sneaked into the lead just ahead of the hour with a third try.
Prop Rodd bundled home after two monster carries from Tuilagi, and Ford’s conversion handed Sale a 25-23 lead. Daly hooked a long-range penalty shot from halfway as Sarries battled to stem Sale’s momentum, before the Sharks came again.
But just when Saracens appeared under the greatest pressure, Goode’s chip from a static situation sparked a shift. Duncan Taylor pressed through and charged down Joe Carpenter, and Saracens bulldozed the resulting ruck. Two passes later, Daly was in at the left corner – and this time there was to be not even a hint of a foot in touch.
Farrell just missed the touchline conversion, but Saracens were back in front at 28-25 heading into the final 10 minutes. Then Van Zyl bundled home after a fluent Sarries move to stun the robust but breached Sale. Referee Luke Pearce initially ruled the ball held up but was pressed into a review by Saracens’ players and TMO Tom Foley eventually awarded the score.
Robin Hislop was sin-binned for head contact with Jonny Hill when entering a ruck though, handing Sale a man advantage and strong field position for the final six minutes.
Saracens refused to relent however, with Dan forcing a breakdown turnover then jumping to his feet to blast a 50-22 to stun Sale.
