Premiership climax – minutewatch
Another dramatic finale to the Guinness Premiership, and another day packed full of running rugby and tries. Who needs new rules?
Another dramatic finale to the Guinness Premiership, and another day packed full of running rugby and tries. Who needs new rules?
Tom Varndell's late try probably saved Marcelo Loffreda his job, and has certainly saved Leicester's season.
Bath could not conjure up the penalty or try to give them a win at Gloucester and a home semi-final.
Wasps were losing at Leeds before charging away with it.
Sale came desperately short against London Irish – a mere losing bonus-point would have seen them through!
There were many twists and turns on the final day of action, and we re-live them all, as they happened!
15:00 – The six matches kick off. Worcester versus Newcastle, and Saracens versus Bristol are dead rubbers, but in Gloucester, Sale, Leeds, and Leicester, beads of tense perspiration are forming on even the iciest of brows…
15:03 – Mike Brown seizes on Chris Malone's grubber to open the scoring at Welford Road, and briefly propel Harlequins into fourth spot as it stands.
15:06 – Alberto di Bernardo gives Wasps a bumpy start by landing a penalty for Leeds – Quins move even more briefly into third!
15:08 – Ben Herring's try for Leicester is unconverted, keeping Quins in third.
15:11 – Di Bernardo lands his second penalty.
15:15 – Tom Varndell hands the lead back to Leicester with his first try, and this one is converted. Leicester lead 12-7, and are now in fourth spot, while Wasps move back to third again.
15:17 – Ryan Lamb's penalty has Gloucester untouchably ahead at the top of the table.
15:18 – Di Bernardo lands another! Wasps, 9-0 adrift, are now relying on other teams to keep them in the top four.
15:19 – Will Skinner's try and Malone's conversion at Welford Road changes things a bit. Quins lead Leicester 14-12, and Quins are now back in third, with Wasps fourth.
15:19 – Wasps pull back at Leeds through a converted Tom Voyce try, but still lie fourth.
15:20 – London Irish take the lead with a converted Topsy Ojo try at Sale, buying Wasps some breathing space in fourth.
As it stands – 20 minutes: Gloucester 3 Bath 0, Leeds 9 wasps 7, Leicester 12 Quins 14, Sale 0 Irish 7
Gloucester 74
Bath 69
Quins 66
Wasps 66
Sale 64
Leicester 60
15:24 – Seilala Mapusua's try for London Irish cuts Sale further adrift in fifth
15:26 – Tom Biggs picks off a stray pass and dots down under the posts, leaving Wasps trailing 16-7
15:28 – Olly Barkley's penalty levels things at Kingsholm and has Bath a little more comfortable in second.
15:32 – Jeremy Staunton pulls Wasps back to 16-10.
15:34 – All change. Voyce scores his second for Wasps, converted by Staunton, and James Simpson-Daniel scores for Gloucester. Gloucester are now comfortably ahead, with Bath and wasps vying for second, and Quins still standing fourth.
15:38 – Barkley pulls Bath back to 8-6 down, no change in the standings.
15:39 – Quins' spot is looking ever-more assured, as Williams scores their third in Leicester.
15:40 – Wasps are beginning to look ominous, as Fraser Waters scores their third and Staunton converts to stretch the lead.
As it stands – half-time: Gloucester 8 Bath 6, Leeds 16 Wasps 24, Leicester 12 Quins 21, Sale 0 Irish 12.
Gloucester 74
Bath 69
Wasps 69
Quins 66
Sale 63
Leicester 59
15:50 – The games kick off again
15:52 – Geordan Murphy's try for Leicester gives them more of a fighting chance.
16:00 – Rafa Ibanez scores wasps' fourth try, making their lead 31-16 and giving them second spot on the table.
16:09 – Jonny Hepworth scores for Leeds, but it is unconverted, and they don't look likely to close up a ten-point gap at 21-31 adrift.
As it stands – 20 to go: Gloucester 8 Bath 6, Leeds 21 Wasps 31, Leicester 17 Quins 21, Sale 0 Irish 12.
Gloucester 74
Wasps 70
Bath 69
Quins 66
Sale 63
Leicester 60
16:11 – Another Williams try sees Quins get their bonus point, and Leicester lose theirs, at 17-28. Wasps extend their lead at Leeds through Ward's try, the score now 21-38.
16:15 – Jordan Crane's try for Leicester and the conversion by Goode makes it 24-28 at Welford Road. Hendre Fourie pulls a try back for Leeds to make it 28-38.
16:22 – Tom Voyce seals his hat-trick and unless Bath can sort something out in Gloucester, seals a home semi-final for Wasps as well.
16:26 – Varndell breaks Harlequin hearts by scoring Leicester's fifth try, and taking them to a 31-28 lead. Leicester are in fourth now, Quins back down to sixth, having spent nearly the entire 80 minutes occupying a play-off spot.
16:29 – Mapusua seals Sale's fate with the Exiles' third try.
16:30 – Bell gives Sale some late consolation points as the final whistles go. Gloucester top the table, with wasps nicking second place and a home semi-final against Bath. Leicester, out of the reckoning all day, have stolen fourth spot from Quins!
Results: Gloucester 8 Bath 6; Leeds 28 Wasps 45; Leicester 31 Quins 28; Sale 7 Irish 17
FINAL STANDINGS:
1: Gloucester 74
2: Wasps 70
3: Bath 69
4: Leicester 64
5: Sale 63
6: Quins 60