With Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs set to meet at Twickenham, it’s a good moment to revisit some of the most dramatic Premiership finals since the competition adopted playoffs in 2003. Northampton arrive seeking to add to their 2024 success, while Exeter — who overturned a 16-point deficit to beat Bath in the semis — chase their first title since 2020. Here are five finals that still stick in the memory.
Exeter Chiefs 38–40 Harlequins — 2021: Late Lynagh magic
A sunlit Twickenham hosted one of the modern era’s most thrilling finals. Harlequins, without a permanent head coach, looked down 28–0 in a semi the week before but arrived in the final determined to attack. Quins built a second-half lead through a penalty try, Wilco Louw, Alex Dombrandt and Andre Esterhuizen, but Exeter fought back to lead 31–26.
Louis Lynagh produced the decisive moments, breaking a tackle to score with eight minutes left and then repeating the feat with four to go. Marcus Smith’s excellent conversions from wide made the difference in a game that swung several times. Exeter crossed through Jonny Gray, Alec Hepburn, Sam Simmonds and Ollie Devoto and landed a penalty from Joe Simmonds, but Harlequins’ late surge secured their first Premiership crown since 2012.
Saracens 24–20 Northampton (AET) — 2014: Waller’s controversial winner
The 2014 final is remembered for its emotion and controversy. With the score 14–14 after 80 minutes, extra time looked to be heading Saracens’ way after Charlie Hodgson kicked two penalties. But replacement prop Alex Waller dived for the line in the closing moments of extra time; after a long TMO review the try was awarded and Stephen Myler’s conversion sealed a dramatic Saints victory.
The match capped a remarkable week for Northampton, who had also won the European Challenge Cup, and was bitter for Saracens, who had lost the Heineken Cup final a week earlier. The final had everything: narrow margins, a post struck from a conversion late in normal time, big personalities and a deciding moment that remains debated among fans.
Exeter 34–37 Saracens — 2019: Sarries stage late comeback
The 2019 final produced ten tries and a rollercoaster of momentum. Exeter thundered out of the traps when Nic White scored after just 27 seconds — the fastest try in a Premiership final — and led 27–16 early in the second half. But Saracens steadily reeled them in.
Jamie George (two), Ben Spencer, Liam Williams and Sean Maitland crossed for Saracens, while Owen Farrell contributed 12 points with boot. Exeter replies came from White, Dave Ewers, Jonny Hill, Henry Slade and Sam Hill, but Saracens’ relentless finish earned them a fourth title in five seasons and denied Exeter a second crown.
Wasps 20–23 Exeter (AET) — 2017: Steenson’s nerve for Exeter’s first title
Exeter’s first-ever Premiership triumph was sealed in extra time when Gareth Steenson calmly slotted a penalty with two minutes remaining. The final was an open, end-to-end contest: Jack Nowell and Phil Dollman put the Chiefs ahead, Wasps hit back through Elliot Daly and Jimmy Gopperth, and the game was levelled in the final minute of normal time by Steenson.
A potential Sam Simmonds try was ruled out after inconclusive replays in extra time, but a scrum penalty late in the period gave Steenson a kick he did not miss. The victory completed a remarkable rise for a club promoted to the top flight only seven years earlier.
Harlequins 30–23 Leicester Tigers — 2012: Quins hold off the Tigers
Harlequins’ 2012 success remains potent because of the backstory: just three years earlier the club had been engulfed by the Bloodgate scandal. Under Conor O’Shea they embraced their attacking identity and reached their first-ever Premiership final.
Nick Evans’ boot contributed 20 points, Tom Williams and Chris Robshaw crossed for tries, and Quins withstood a late Leicester surge. Tigers were camped in the Quins 22 as the clock ticked past 80 minutes, but a ruck penalty allowed Harlequins to cling on and celebrate their first top-flight title.
Why these finals matter
These matches illustrate what the Premiership playoff system can produce: last-gasp finishes, extra-time drama, memorable individual performances and swift shifts in momentum. As Saints and Chiefs prepare for the next Twickenham chapter, those past finals remind us that nothing is guaranteed — and that a single moment can define a season.