Northampton Stun Leinster In Dublin To Reach Final

Investec Champions Cup semi-final

Leinster: (15) 34

Tries: O'Brien, Van der Flier 2, Doris, Lowe Cons: Prendergast 3 Pens: Prendergast

Northampton Saints: (27) 37

Tries: Freeman 3, Pollock, Ramm Cons: Smith 3 Pens: Smith 2

A Tommy Freeman hat-trick helped Northampton Saints to a melodramatic 37-34 triumph complete Leinster and into nan Investec Champions Cup final.

The unthinkable semi-final featured 10 tries and 3 Saints yellowish cards pinch nan crippled ending only aft nan visitors turned Leinster complete a metre from their ain line.

The hosts successful Dublin had only conceded 7 tries to scope nan semi-finals but nan Saints crossed for 5 connected nan time pinch Henry Pollock and James Ramm besides scoring.

Despite those scores and a 12-point advantage astatine half-time, it each came down to nan last seconds pinch nan Premiership champions producing a stirring past protect guidelines pinch only 14 men.

Phil Dowson's broadside will play nan victor of Sunday's 2nd semi-final betwixt Toulouse and Bordeaux-Begles successful Cardiff connected 24 May.

Seeking their 4th last successful a statement and a first title since 2018, nan quality successful this year's Leinster's squad had been their ascendant defence.

Having kept some Glasgow Warriors and Harlequins to nil successful their 2 erstwhile knock-out games, they were caught connected their heels by nan Saints' speedy start.

While nan hosts had chosen to heavy rotate for their United Rugby Championship fixture against Scarlets past clip out, Northampton's front-liners looked sharper for seeing lucifer action against Bristol past weekend, cipher much truthful than Freeman.

Just arsenic his other helping James Lowe did successful this fixture a twelvemonth ago, nan England world provided a first-half hat-trick.

After nan visitors offered immoderate superb maul defence to thwart Leinster's first attack, it was Freeman connected nan extremity of Fin Smith's delicate nudge to unfastened nan scoring aft 7 minutes.

Sam Prendergast reduced nan arrears pinch a punishment earlier threading an fantabulous walk retired wide for Tommy O'Brien to people nan first of Leinster's 5 tires.

A 4th of an hr earlier nan interval, Leinster had their 2nd erstwhile Josh van der Flier took nan shot connected nan complaint aft it was popped up by Max Deegan and collapsed over.

If that seemed for illustration nan people that would settee Leo Cullen's side, nan last 15 of nan half were each Northampton.

Just 3 minutes aft his other number's score, Henry Pollock crossed for a effort aft taking a level walk crossed nan gain-line and showing an awesome move of gait to title astir Prendergast.

Two further tries from Freeman successful nan abstraction of 2 minutes gave his broadside a 27-15 lead astatine nan turn.

Both featured crisp attacking play from nan Saints successful nan build-up, pinch Juarno Augustus providing a good offload for nan second, and nan English Premiership broadside were good worthy their interval advantage.

Leinster's consequence was not contiguous pinch nan early minutes of nan 2nd half featuring a number of handling errors.

A 50:22 from Lowe, however, helped to temporarily move nan tide. The Saints again held patient against nan maul but aft forbidden defence, Leinster were capable to people done Caelan Doris disconnected a pat penalty.

The Leinster and Ireland skipper followed his effort pinch a 50:22 of his ain soon aft but again his broadside could not execute nan line-out maul.

Smith's 2nd punishment pushed his broadside retired to an eight-point lead but, pinch 20 minutes remaining, replacement Ryan Baird won nan punishment and line-out that preceded Van der Flier's 2nd score.

Again, though, nan Saints produced a stout response. Only 2 minutes later, full-back James Ramm picked a superb statement and was complete successful nan corner.

The Saints' efforts to spot retired nan triumph were hampered erstwhile blind-side flanker Josh Kemeny was sent to nan misdeed bin for a precocious tackle connected Rabah Slimani.

With 10 minutes to go, James Lowe halved nan shortage arsenic Leinster scored their 2nd of nan time from a well-worked pat punishment and Prendergast added nan extras to bring his broadside wrong three.

The Saints again relied upon their stout maul defence but, arsenic nan timepiece showed 79 minutes, Leinster were awarded a punishment pinch Alex Coles sent to nan misdeed bin conscionable arsenic clip expired connected Kemeny's yellow.

Leinster again went for nan pat but nan 14 men of Northampton turned them complete connected nan statement to complete a celebrated win.

Leinster: Keenan; O'Brien, Ringrose, Henshaw, Lowe; Prendergast, Gibson-Park; Healy, Sheehan, Furlong, Snyman, McCarthy, Deegan, Van der Flier, Doris (capt).

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

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

Replacements: Walker, West, Millar Mills, Lockett, Munga, Scott-Young, James, Seabrook.

Yellow cards: Langdon, Kemeny, Coles

Referee: Pierre Brousset (France)