Saracens snuff out Gloucester with ruthless semi-final performance
Saracens 44 Gloucester 19
"We try to get to a point where nothing will drain our energy"
Nick Tompkins articulates Saracens' gameplan so nicely.
Full-time | Saracens 44 Gloucester 19
Luke Pearce ends the game. It was a brutally efficient performance from Saracens. Gloucester scored early on but were then snuffed out. The reigning champions book their trip to Twickenham in some style.
Saracens 44 Gloucester 19, 79 minutes
Christian Judge gets over the ball to win a penalty and suffocate another Gloucester attack.
Man of the match
Ben Spencer gets the official gong from BT Sport's Ugo Monye.
Saracens 44 Gloucester 19, 76 minutes
Strong spell for Gloucester with Dreyer making another midfield break but then Twelvetrees spills on the edge of Saracens' 22.
Match action
Here's Tompkins' hat-trick try.
Nick Tompkins makes Premiership history! ⚫️
He becomes only the second player to score a hat-trick in a semi-final!
������ pic.twitter.com/rkAfjWPmzT— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) May 25, 2019
Saracens 44 Gloucester 19, 73 minutes
Gloucester kick into touch but mess up the maul set-up.
Saracens 44 Gloucester 19, 69 minutes
Gloucester win a defiant maul turnover and Atkinson and Twelvetrees combine again from the scrum. Cipriani threads through a neat grubber, boxing in Alex Goode...but the Saracens full-back dances away from two Gloucester chasers quite brilliantly.
Try, Lewis Ludlow! Saracens 44 Gloucester 19, 67 minutes
It's that move again! Atkinson throws the short ball to Twelvetrees this time, who offloads to his back-rower. Ludlow holds off Farrell to score.
Saracens 44 Gloucester 14, 65 minutes
On comes David Strettle, replacing Williams. Joe Gray is on for Jamie George as well.
The record is still a way off
41 - Gloucester 50 v Saracens 9 in 2007 is the margin to beat
— Russ Petty (@rpetty80) May 25, 2019
Saracens 44 Gloucester 14, 61 minutes
Billy Vunipola heads off now, Mike Rhodes replacing him. Itoje nabs a Gloucester lineout now.
Try, Ruan Dreyer! Saracens 44 Gloucester 14, 59 minutes
Jaco Kriel rampages down the touchline and smashes Liam Williams out of the way. Cipriani puts Dreyer through the gap and a dummy sees the replacement tighthead trundle under the posts. Twelvetrees converts.
Very good
In 2020, when Saracens Storm split from Saracens and create their own franchise in order to wrest the title away from their parent club, the battle for Nick Tompkins’ signature will be one to watch.
— Alex Shaw (@alexshawsport) May 25, 2019
Try, Nick Tompkins! Saracens 44 Gloucester 7, 56 minutes
It's a hat-trick for Tompkins. Alex Goode sashays past a couple of defenders and gets very close before Maro Itoje is repelled. Tompkins follows up and teanciously finishes the try. He has a treble and, with Farrell's conversion, Saracens are out to 44.
"We've got some of the best kick-regather players in the world"
Alex Sanderson says that Saracens base a lot of their kicking gather on Australian rules football. Meanwhile, the hosts win a penalty and kick to touch just 10 metres out...
Saracens 37 Gloucester 7, 53 minutes
A few changes here. Ben Spencer swaps with Richard Wigglesworth and Will Skelton is replaced by Nick Isiekwe.
Henry Purdy is on for Charlie Sharples for Gloucester as well.
Try, Nick Tompkins! Saracens 37 Gloucester 7, 49 minutes
It's getting messy. Gloucester lose the ball when it escapes at the foot of a ruck. Jamie George calls for a pass from Billy Vunipola and Saracens flood through on the counter. Goode and Farrell combine nicely and Tompkins sprints clear.
Farrell converts. The champions are going back to Twickenham.
Saracens 30 Gloucester 7, 48 minutes
Encouraging for Gloucester. They win back the restart and then spread the ball wide, Cipriani shipping on under serious pressure from Itoje. Tompkins takes Marshall high and the visitors hit touch.
Handbags!
Gloucester creep offside. George Kruis and Franco Mostert have a push and shove.
Farrell is going for goal again. He's missed again. That's three now.
Saracens 30 Gloucester 7, 44 minutes
Spencer scampers away from the base of the scrum and Heinz is penalised for chucking a boot into the breakdown after making the tackle.
Farrell misses the kick, though.
Looking this way...
Could be 50 for Sarries for the second year running in a #PremRugby semi...
Farrell v Cipriani currently at 5-0 when they’ve started matches v each other over the years.
Destined to be 6. #PremRugby#Saracens#Gloucester— Will Kelleher (@willgkelleher) May 25, 2019
Saracens 30 Gloucester 7, 43 minutes
Saracens collect the restart and clear. Then Itoje and Jackson Wray pressurise Gloucester's phase-play, forcing a knock-on.
Try, Nick Tompkins! Saracens 30 Gloucester 7, 42 minutes
Clinical. Liam Williams gathers a box-kick under pressure from Marshall. George Kruis carries hard, denting Gloucester and then Saracens spread it. Tompkins accelerates away to score. That is all too easy.
Farrell converts and the gap is 23.
Second half
We're off again. Farrell starts the second period. Marshall collects after a bounce. There have been no further changes.
Match action
Saracens' second of three tries here. The calm and composure in space from Maro Itoje is outstanding.
Maro Itoje at his best ��
The @Saracens star breaks away to set Ben Spencer up for an easy score!
The hosts are back on top ⚫️ pic.twitter.com/rluTu7siJN— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) May 25, 2019
Half-time | Saracens 23 Gloucester 7
That little passage sums up the half. Gloucester launch their familiar pattern from the scrum. Atkinson pulling back to Cipriani.
Saracens hold firm and force the visitors 20 metres back. Tom Marshall then kicks into touch to end the half. It's a long way back from here.
Try, Liam Williams! Saracens 23 Gloucester 7, 37 minutes
That's what they do. Ben Spencer's box-kick is recovered by Saracens and then Owen Farrell goes high. Alex Lozowski chases, gathering it clean ahead of Cipriani, and releasing Liam Williams.
William glides over the line and, despite a valiant effort from Cipriani, he dots down:
TMO
Has Liam Williams scored?
Penalty, Owen Farrell! Saracens 18 Gloucester 7, 34 minutes
Billy Vunipola is beginning to assert himself on this game. The number eight releases a couple of offloads and then Saracens surge over the gain-line. Tom Savage is penalised for a counter-ruck that barrels over Ben Spencer.
Farrell adds three more.
Saracens 15 Gloucester 7, 31 minutes
Gloucester win a penalty when Sean Maitland takes a catcher in the air. They go to touch and run their trademark midfield move. Sharples makes a half-break but then his pass is wonderfully intercepted by Alex Goode.
It's hotting up.
Try, Ben Spencer! Saracens 15 Gloucester 7, 29 minutes
That's excellent from Maro Itoje. Billy Vunipola picks around the base of a ruck and offloads to his blinside flanker, who lopes clear. He dummies, beating Charlie Sharples, and then releases Spencer.
The scrum-half scampers under the posts and Saracens have an eight-point advantage.
Saracens 8 Gloucester 7, 27 minutes
Frantic stuff. A Saracens offload goes loose inside the Gloucester 22 and the visitors attempt to run it out but Billy Vunipola chases back to make a cover tackle on Cipriani.
Two quick setbacks for Saracens. First Brad Barritt limps off. Nick Tompkins replaces him:
And then Saracens lose a lineout. Gloucester clear.
Saracens 8 Gloucester 7, 25 minutes
Billy Vunipola storms off the base of the scrum then Spencer goes to the air. Gloucester recover and Cipriani wins the kicking duel for his side by skipping a kick into touch.
That's an excellent response from Saracens. Kruis rises to take the lineout and a strong maul ekes out penalty advantage. Saracens spread the ball left before Maitland chips ahead. Ben Morgan has to hack into touch.
Another blow for Gloucester. Ed Slater is off. Tom Savage comes on in his place.
Saracens 8 Gloucester 7, 22 minutes
Jamie George's throw skews off the straight. "It's a tough call," says Luke Pearce. "Give me one back, then," replies George.
Gloucester punch holes from the scrum until there is a handling error from Franco Marais.
"Both teams, cut the appealing"
Luke Pearce lays down the law.
Saracens 8 Gloucester 7, 20 minutes
Another breakdown penalty against Gloucester. This time Atkinson appears to strip the ball from Lozowski, but Billy Vunipola is in support and over the top. Pearce whistles against Atkinson.
Farrell's penalty hits the post! Jaco Kriel is there to mop up and eventually Willi Heinz clears.
Saracens 8 Gloucester 7, 18 minutes
Cipriani goes across-field with a dink that Tom Marshall gathers over the top of Liam Williams but Saracens scramble back to win a turnover. Itoje carries strongly and Saracens clear, then their pressing forces a tip-on from Jason Woodward that goes forward.
Alex Lozowski for Japan?
Alex Lozowski is in the form of his life, currently, which only leads to one conclusion: he will not be in Eddie Jones’s World Cup plans. #SARvGLO#GallagherPrem
— Charles Richardson (@CharlieRicho1) May 25, 2019
Penalty, Owen Farrell! Saracens 8 Gloucester 7, 17 minutes
The hosts are back ahead.
Saracens 5 Gloucester 7, 15 minutes
Ben Spencer goes high and Cipriani's offload goes to the floor as Saracens chase hard. Cipriani dives on the loose ball but is penalised as Saracens' forwards swarm him.
Saracens 5 Gloucester 7, 14 minutes
Edgy little period. Saracens win back a couple of high balls and then Farrell tries to thread through another left-footed grubber but there is a ricochet and Cipriani clips through into touch.
Saracens 5 Gloucester 7, 12 minutes
Jaco Kriel swoops over the ball to win a penalty:
And then Saracens are marched back 10 metres following some back-chat from Owen Farrell.
Big chance for Gloucester as Cipriani kicks them to within 10 metres...but the lineout goes loose at the back again. Maro Itoje gathers it.
Match action
Here is Gloucester's opening try...
What a start to this semi final! ��
A brilliant @gloucesterrugby try!
Watch out for the inside pass from Mark Atkinson in the build up! �� pic.twitter.com/5nRZwPib4z— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) May 25, 2019
..and here is Saracens' rapid response:
That is how champions respond! ����@Saracens reply immediately after Owen Farrell and Sean Maitland combine perfectly!
What a day we're in for �� pic.twitter.com/UfESVx7UDj— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) May 25, 2019
Saracens 5 Gloucester 7, 9 minutes
Jamie George seems to be struggling with a shoulder injury and that lineout throw is messy. Gloucester nab it at the tail.
Saracens 5 Gloucester 7, 7 minutes
Kruis takes the restart this time and Gloucester launch from the lineout but Liam Williams is over the ball to win a breakdown turnover.
Ben Spencer clears but then there is an error from Cipriani, who kicks out on the full. It'll be a lineout to Saracens between the Gloucester 10-metre line and the visitors' 22.
Try, Sean Maitland! Saracens 5 Gloucester 7, 5 minutes
Instant response! Liam Williams charges after the restart and wins it back. Billy Vunipola takes contact and the ball comes back out to the backline with Alex Goode and Brad Barritt getting the ball to Owen Farrell.
There is a delicate dink past the onrushing Gloucester defence and Maitland gathers to dot it down. Farrell misses the conversion but the hosts will be far happier.
Try, Ben Morgan! Saracen 0 Gloucester 7, 3 minutes
What a start. Mark Atkinson takes a pass from Billy Twelvetrees and slips the ball inside to Tom Marshall, who finds Charlie Sharples and Ben Morgan charges over!
Twelvetrees adds the conversion from the right touchline.
Saracens 0 Gloucester 0, 1 minute
A collapse leads to a re-set. There is plenty of chat from both sides picked up by the referee's microphone.
On the second attempt the steadier. Gloucester go into their trademark strike move but Saracens initially hold firm on the edge of their 22...
Kick-off
Here we go. Danny Cipriani starts us off, clipping the drop-kick high. And there's an uncharacteristic error from George Kruis!
He spills it after being lifted and we'll have our first scrum.
Atmosphere check
Sounds like a Gloucester take-over here at Allianz Park. Plenty of visiting fans and they’re making plenty of noise before their team face the European champions. #SARAvGLOUC
— Chris Foy (@FoyChris) May 25, 2019
Gloucester's supporters are sounding loud and proud.
Players out
Here they come. First, the visitors...
...and then the hosts, led by wing David Strettle on his final appearance at Allianz Park:
Man in the middle
Luke Pearce is taking charge of today's game. He's had a very good season with the whistle.
Gloucester's pack is prepared
With Ed Slater and Franco Mostert at the heart of things, Gloucester's pack is dynamic and - in the nicest way possible - nasty. But can they overcome Saracens? It's a mighty, mighty task.
"This started way back in pre-season"
Johan Ackermann seems remarkably relaxed. "We'll live with this result, we want to inspire the people that have come to watch."
Sarries domination?
Martin reckons so.
Alex Goode's influence
Great statting here.
Just 20 minutes now...
Predictions? That's what the comments section is for. Give me a shout.
No late changes
Today’s confirmed teams at Allianz Park �� pic.twitter.com/6Cib7Ourjv
— Gloucester Rugby (@gloucesterrugby) May 25, 2019
Half an hour to go
This is a nice little feature with Telegraph columnist Danny Cipriani.
• Impressing the boss
• Leading by example
• Making the right decisions
The man of the moment ��
Danny Cipriani sat down with @andNickMullins for a fascinating chat about a fantastic first season at @gloucesterrugby! pic.twitter.com/4dmR5IHjkr— Rugby on BT Sport (@btsportrugby) May 24, 2019
"This is about trying to put Gloucester back on the map"
Willi Heinz says Gloucester will not alter the way they have been playing all season: "There will be space somewhere".
"We knew we had to get back to reality"
Vincent Koch tells BT Sport's Lawrence Dallaglio that Saracens celebrated hard for a couple of days after the Champions Cup final victory before knuckling down.
Can the underdogs pull through?
Austin Healey takes a closer look at both semi-finals in this week's column.
Alex Goode leads the chat
The full-back is an influential figure under Mark McCall.
In praise of Richard Barrington, Saracens' singing unsung hero
Johan Ackermann's revolution
Speaking of Gloucester's head coach, read this excellent feature from my colleague Dan Schofield on the work that the South African has done since arriving in the West Country.
Off the coach
Here is Gloucester's playmaker...
...and here is their head coach:
One hour until kick-off
The bookies have given Saracens an 11-point start today.
Analysis
Saracens *might* just have a little weakness defending strike-moves.
With Danny Cipriani conducting things, Gloucester have sharpened an incisive set of starter plays. Read up on them here.
Players in the house
There are Saracens, who have arrived with around an hour and a quarter until kick-off.
The conditions look still and warmish. It could be a quick one, this game.
Hi there
Hello and welcome to our live text commentary of semi-final Saturday in the Gallagher Premiership, which is starting in Barnet with Saracens hosting Gloucester. What a game this could be.
Back in September at Allianz Park, Mark McCall's men thrashed Gloucester. During the Six Nations, Johan Ackermann's side held on for a win at Kingsholm.
�� Around the Ground with just under two hours until kick off in Hendon#SARvGLOpic.twitter.com/RN7r15UWOi
— Gloucester Rugby (@gloucesterrugby) May 25, 2019
Gloucester have consistently improved over the course of this domestic campaign and deservedly ended up in third spot - ahead of the mid-table traffic jam yet behind the top two. Remarkably, both teams have reached this stage of a gruelling term with most of their big names intact.
Mako Vunipola has been sidelined because of hamstring surgery, while this weekend has come slightly too soon for Ollie Thorley - a breakthrough star of this season. Here are the line-ups.
Saracens
15. Alex Goode, 14. Liam Williams, 13. Alex Lozowski, 12. Brad Barritt (captain), 11. Sean Maitland, 10. Owen Farrell, 9. Ben Spencer; 1. Richard Barrington, 2. Jamie George, 3. Vincent Koch, 4. Will Skelton, 5. George Kruis, 6. Maro Itoje, 7. Jackson Wray, 8. Billy Vunipola
Replacements: 16. Joe Gray, 17. Ralph Adams-Hale, 18. Christian Judge, 19. Nick Isiekwe, 20. Mike Rhodes, 21. Richard Wigglesworth, 22. Nick Tompkins, 23. David Strettle
Gloucester
15. Jason Woodward, 14. Charlie Sharples, 13. Billy Twelvetrees, 12. Mark Atkinson, 11. Tom Marshall, 10. Danny Cipriani, 9. Willi Heinz (captain); 1. Josh Hohneck, 2. Franco Marais, 3. Fraser Balmain, 4. Ed Slater, 5. Franco Mostert, 6. Ruan Ackermann, 7. Jaco Kriel, 8. Ben Morgan
Replacements: 16. Mike Sherry, 17. Val Rapava Ruskin, 18. Ruan Dreyer, 19. Tom Savage, 20. Lewis Ludlow, 21. Jake Polledri, 22. Ben Vellacott, 23. Henry Purdy