Northampton stun Leinster in Dublin to reach final

Investec Champions Cup semi-final

Leinster: (15) 34

O’Brien, Van der Flier 2, Doris, Lowe, and Prendergast 3 Pens: Prendergast

Northampton Saints: (27) 37

Northampton Saints won the Investec Champions Cup final 37-34 in an unforgetable classic thanks to Tommy Freeman’s hat-trick.

Ten tries and three Saints yellow cards were used in the incredible semi-final, which came to an end with the visitors turning Leinster over a metre from their own line in the final moments.

The hosts in Dublin, tournament favorites prior to this match, only managed seven tries, but Northampton scored five in the semi-finals, with Henry Pollock and James Ramm also scoring.

Despite those scores and a 12-point lead at half-time, there was no drama in the final minute.

Leinster initially thought they had the ball in the corner at 79 minutes, but after a protracted delay, referee Pierre Brousset sent Saints’ Alex Coles to the sin-bin and gave the Irish side a penalty.

Leinster had a chance to hold off Leinster, but with the tap penalty Saints produced one last stirring defensive stand with 14 men to seal one of their biggest victories in history.

The difference in this year’s Leinster’s team was their dominant defense, which was their fourth successive title and their first title since 2018.

After failing to win any of their two previous knockout games, Glasgow Warriors and Harlequins were caught on their heels by Saints’ quick start.

No one else’s front-liners looked more sharp for the hosts’ United Rugby Championship game against Scarlets last time out than Freeman, despite the hosts’ heavily rotated lineup.

The England international scored a hat-trick in the first half, just as his opposite wing James Lowe did a year ago.

After the visitors’ superb maul defense prevented Leinster’s opening attack, Freeman was the one who delivered Fin Smith’s delicate nudge to put the game away after seven minutes.

Tommy O’Brien scored the first of Leinster’s five tires with a superb pass that Sam Prendergast scored with a penalty to reduce the arrears.

Leinster scored their second just before the break when Josh van der Flier put the ball on the charge after Max Deegan hit it and crashed over.

The final 15 minutes of the half were all Northampton, if it appeared like the result would settle Leo Cullen’s side.

After taking a flat pass across the gain-line and showing an impressive turn of pace, Pollock crossed for a try just three minutes later and ran 45 meters round Prendergast.

Freeman’s team took a 27-15 lead at the turn after two more tries in just two minutes.

Leinster’s response to the first half of the second half was slow and inconsistent.

However, a 50: 22 lowe’s turn of events did some good. Saints once more held their ground against the maul, but Leinster were able to capitalize on Caelan Doris’ tap penalty to score after an illegal defense.

The Leinster and Ireland skipper made a 50: 22 of his own shortly after, but his team once more struggled to execute the line-out maul.

Smith’s second penalty gave his team a 30-22 lead before Van der Flier’s second score was awarded with substitute Ryan Baird winning the penalty and line-out with 20 minutes left.

Saints, however, waded in a strong direction once more. Full-back James Ramm was over in the corner just two minutes later with a brilliant line.

When blind-side flanker Josh Kemeny was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle on Rabah Slimani, Northampton’s efforts to secure the victory were hindered.

With 10 minutes left, Lowe cut the deficit by scoring Leinster’s second goal of the day with a deft tap penalty, and Prendergast added the extras to bring his side within three.

Replacements: Barrett, Porter, Kelleher, Porter, Slimani, Baird, Conan, McGrath, R Byrne, and Barrett.

Ramm, Freeman, Dingwall (capt), Hutchinson, Litchfield, Smith, Mitchell, Iyogun, Langdon, Davison, Mayanavanua, Coles, Kemeny, Pollock, Augustus, Northampton Saints.

Walker, West, Millar Mills, Lockett, Munga, Scott-Young, James, Seabrook, and others.

Langdon, Kemeny, Coles, and Coles are the yellow cards.