Northampton Saints are the Champions of English club rugby. For the second time in three seasons, the Gallagher PREM trophy is coming home to cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.
Having set the pace at the top of the Gallagher PREM for most of the 2025/26 campaign and overcoming Leicester Tigers in a Home Play-Off, Phil Dowson’s side completed the job with a 26-17 victory in the Final over Exeter Chiefs at a stiflingly hot Allianz Stadium.
A tense and close first half matched the conditions as Saints struck through Tommy Freeman and Fin Smith, with Exeter staying firmly in the fight with two unconverted tries of their own.
Chiefs then struck first in the second period to take the lead, but Northampton heads did not drop and two decisive George Hendy tries in the final quarter settled the contest in Saints’ favour.
FIRST HALF
Just as they did in their Play‑Off against Tigers, Northampton enjoyed a fast start and were ahead inside two minutes. Archie McParland chipped in behind, where two Exeter players swept towards the ball from opposite directions; neither neutralised the threat, and Freeman was on hand to ground the easiest of his 20 tries this season.
Saints had another strong 22 entry soon afterwards thanks to Tom Pearson’s excellent breakdown burgle, which allowed Smith to nudge a kick into touch. From the lineout, Henry Pollock powered his way towards the line, but was unfortunately held up above a mass of Exeter defenders.
That near‑miss was compounded when Saints kept a cross‑field kick in play only for Exeter to pounce and put Campbell Ridl in for the score. In his despairing attempt to deny it, McParland’s afternoon came to a premature end, handing the returning Alex Mitchell an extended shift.
Despite three lineout steals from Josh Kemeny swinging possession back Saints’ way, it was Exeter who twice threatened the next score: Henry Slade just failed to ground a grubber ahead, then Freeman raced back to superbly stop Ridl when a try looked certain.
For much of the 25 minutes that followed their first score, the men in Black, Green and Gold were in survival mode, as Exeter kicked to touch and drove for the line, only to be bravely held up as Saints protected their two‑point lead.
Sporting his new closely cropped hairstyle, Alex Coles enjoyed a fine first half, and it was his gallop upfield that shifted momentum and carried Saints into the Exeter 22. Immanuel Feyi‑Waboso’s interception attempt resulted in a spill, and at the second attempt Northampton worked through the phases. Curtis Langdon went close before Smith reached out to finish and then added the conversion.
It didn’t prove to be the final score of the half. A long defensive set from Saints was eventually unlocked as Exeter worked their way deep into the 22. When a penalty was punted to touch, a flailing Chiefs hand redirected the ball perfectly for Josh Iosefa‑Scott to catch and burrow over. Henry Slade skewed the extras wide, leaving Northampton with a four‑point lead at the interval.
SECOND HALF
The nerve‑jangling tension inside this famous Twickenham postcode refused to ease as Saints knocked on the door for the opening ten minutes of the second period. Both attacks ended in Rory Hutchinson’s hands: first he spilled five metres out, then his leap for the line was chalked off for a knock‑on in the build‑up.
Still four points ahead, Saints were forced to play minutes 50 to 60 a man down when Kemeny was yellow‑carded for a collision with Dafydd Jenkins. The bloodied Exeter skipper recovered quickly enough to dust himself off and score at the very next opportunity, after Slade had driven a penalty deep into Saints territory. Slade added the conversion and Exeter led by three entering the final third.
Jenkins remained firmly in the thick of it, seeing yellow himself for a high shot on George Furbank after Mitchell’s dart to the line ended with a spill inches short, following a huge carry from JJ Van Der Mescht.
The hour mark brought a hydration break and the chance for Fraser Dingwall to enter in place of Tom Litchfield. Soon afterwards, Kemeny returned from his enforced rest, giving Saints a five‑minute spell with a man advantage — and they made it count.
After Freeman burst through centre‑field and somehow rode to his feet to keep the play alive, Exeter infringed, giving Saints a free shot. Pollock and Callum Chick both punched holes before Mitchell’s pass put Hendy into an unmarked square inch of Allianz Stadium turf to reclaim a narrow lead.
Just as he was four years ago, Hendy proved the man for the big occasion. With Exeter still a man down, Smith dabbed a delicious grubber in behind and the flame‑haired winger used every inch of his frame to dive and apply downward pressure. Smith then nailed a perfect touchline conversion to open a nine‑point lead entering the final ten minutes.
Exeter plugged away but were met with a tremendous Saints defensive effort and some excellent breakdown work from Pollock as the lead was seen through to the final whistle, and the title was Northampton’s once more.
LINE-UPS
Saints: 15 George Furbank (c), 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Tom Litchfield, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 George Hendy; 10 Fin Smith, 9 Archie McParland; 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Curtis Langdon, 3 Elliot Millar Mills, 4 Alex Coles, 5 Ed Prowse, 6 Josh Kemeny, 7 Tom Pearson, 8 Henry Pollock.
Replacements: 16 Craig Wright, 17 Danilo Fischetti, 18 Luke Green, 19 JJ Van Der Mescht, 20 Tom Lockett, 21 Callum Chick, 22 Alex Mitchell, 23 Fraser Dingwall.
Leicester Tigers: 15 Olly Woodburn, 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Campbell Ridl, 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stephen Varney; 1 Scott Sio, 2 Max Norey, 3 Josh Iosefa-Scott, 4 Dafydd Jenkins (c), 5 Andrea Zambonin, 6 Tom Hooper, 7 Ethan Roots, 8 Greg Fisilau.
Replacements: 16 Joseph Dweba, 17 Ethan Burger, 18 Bachuki Tchumbadze, 19 Christ Tshiunza, 20 Ross Vintcent, 21 Kane James, 22 Tom Cairns, 23 Will Haydon-Wood.