Saracens trounce Gloucester 44-19 to reach Premiership final

Saracens 44-19 Gloucester Rugby, Allianz Park
Scorecard

Saracens have kept their hope of defending Premiership title alive after they went on to trounce Gloucester Rugby 44-19 in their play-off encounter at Allianz Park on Saturday.

Gloucester started the game on a positive note with number eight Ben Morgan raced on the right wing to go over the line in the third minute and Billy Twelvetrees followed with the conversion.

Saracens responded back immediately with Owen Farrell setting up Sean Maitland as the winger dotted down in the fifth minute to reduce the gap to two points and soon they claimed the lead with a Farrell penalty goal in the 17th minute.

Mark McCall's men stepped up the gears and looked intimidating when a dummy from Maro Itoje set Ben Spencer for their third try and by the 37th minute Liam Williams also scored as they went into the break with a 23-7 lead.

Nick Tompkins, who replaced injured Brad Barritt in the first half made a complete impact in the second as he scored in the 43rd, 50th and 56th minutes while Farrell kicked all the three conversions to take their tally to 44 points.

Replacements Ruan Dreyer and Lewis Ludlow scored consolation tries for the Cherry and Whites in the 59th and 68th minutes respectively but could not prevent them from losing the game 44-19 and a chance to progress to the final of the Premiership.