Saints are attacking the Chiefs line yet again - can they make this one count?

Ian Hunter
Former Saints and England wing on BBC Radio Northampton

This is very, very frustrating.

Saints have had opportunities to score. They've got so close to the line and they've just got white line fever.

In this half I counted three opportunities for Saints to score and in a Prem final you need to do that and all that's happened is Exeter have walked themselves back into this game.

Saints have got to get hold of this. At the moment it kind of feels like they're chasing the game.

The ball bounces off Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's shoulder forward to Harvey Skinner but he is then dispossessed and Saints have the ball.

But winger George Hendy is tackled into touch - Exeter's attitude to defending is brilliant, they are making things very hard for a Saints side that has scored tries at will this season.

Away we go again - 20 minutes to win the Prem title.

Josh Kemeny is back with us so Saints have an extra man for five minutes with Dafydd Jenkins still in the sin-bin.

It's hydration break time.

Josh Kemeny is on the sidelines looking ready to rejoin the action when we restart.

Fraser Dingwall is also joining the action with semi-final hat-trick hero Tom Litchfield departing.

Nigel Walrond
BBC Radio Devon commentator

What are Saints doing today?!

They are so loose, so unlike them.

It's either Twickenham nerves or the pressure Chiefs are putting on them.

A brilliant clearing kick from Exeter scrum-half Stephen Varney who takes play up to halfway.

Saints ball - can they make one of their openings count?

We're heading into the final 20 minutes of the season - assuming we don't go to extra time of course.

Graham McKechnie
BBC Radio Northampton sport

If Saints don't go on to win this game they will look back on the chances the threw away and that was an absolute gift.

Saints are still trailing and they shouldn't be. It was actually a very good tackle on Alex Mitchell but you kind of expected him to score that with the acceleration that he normally has from there.

The Chiefs skipper has had a busy few minutes hasn't he?

He was the one given a bloody nose in the tackle that sent Josh Kemeny to the sin-bin, then scored a try, now he is given a yellow card for a high tackle on George Furbank.

It's 14-a-side now until Kemeny returns.

Image source, Shutterstock

Matt Dawson
Prem title winner on Radio 5 Live

Could this be a moment that Exeter look back on in history?

I've lost count of Saints' spurned chances.

Image source, Shutterstock

Another try review - has Saints scrum-half Alex Mitchell grounded that or lost it in the act of scoring?

It's the latter and Chiefs still lead.

They're now checking a high tackle by Exeter captain Dafydd Jenkins on George Furbank though.

John Lockyer
Former Exeter Chiefs captain on BBC Radio Devon

Henry Slade stayed out for a minute or two after the half-time whistle and practised after he just missed a conversion and he's now converted a try.

So, at last Henry's got his kicking boots on.

The hulking figure of Saints sub JJ van der Mescht makes a massive break down the pitch - a sight to behold!

Saints are attacking well despite being a man down.

Pleasingly, it's still absolute mayhem out there.

John Lockyer
Former Exeter Chiefs captain on BBC Radio Devon

That was beautifully done!

It just shows that when you get your line-out right...

It was a lovely ball off the top, Exeter moved the ball left and then they took it back on the right and the Wales captain Dafydd Jenkins, who has been such a wonderful player for Exeter, a young man with such a huge future, galloped over.

The officials decide that is worthy of more than just a penalty and Saints back row Josh Kemeny is shown a yellow card.

There was head contact but Kemeny is perhaps slightly unfortunate to see yellow looking at those replays.

Ball lost forward by Exeter as they look to string some phases together.

Chiefs skipper Dafydd Jenkins has a bloody nose and this tackle by Josh Kemeny will be checked by the officials.

Phil Dowson changes his entire front row for the final half-hour of this engrossing affair.

Graham McKechnie
BBC Radio Northampton sport

I think that's the right decision and another one goes begging for Saints.