Alex Goode’s late try snatches historic double as Sarries add Premiership title to European crown at Twickenham
Saracens 28 Exeter Chiefs 20: Mark McCall's men see off fightback to cement their place in rugby history
SARACENS made it a sensational double as their destructive dynasty showed no signs of slowing down.
Not even underdogs Exeter’s dramatic fightback could stop them adding the Premiership title to their European crown.
The big-hitters from Barnet became English rugby’s first Euro and domestic kings since Wasps way back in 2004.
And Mark McCall’s 100th win as boss meant Sarries are the first club to win back-to-back Premiership titles since Leicester in 2010.
But they only did it after Chiefs had reduced a 23-3 first-half deficit to just three points four minutes from time.
McCall admitted: “Now I need two to three months off!
“We will enjoy ourselves tonight, we will go out as a big group.
“You can only play 33 games a season and we’ve lost four.
“That’s not a bad record and it indicates that we don’t pick and choose our games but front up all the time.
“If we keep that up I don’t see why we won’t be back in these sorts of games. The age profile of the squad is good, is really good.
“Everybody is signed up for the next two to three seasons. The spine of the team is there but the Premiership is always getting better.
“We’ve got to stay hungry and motivated and no doubt we will.”
First-half tries by centre Duncan Taylor and winger Chris Wyles — plus the deadly kicking of England ace Owen Farrell — put Sarries firmly in charge.
Twickenham’s bars were loading up with extra scrumpy as Exeter clawed it back to 23-20 as Jack Yeandle and Red Rose winger Jack Nowell crossed.
But the dreams of cider- guzzling Chiefs fans were finally dashed by Alex Goode’s 76th-minute score as Saracens followed up their European triumph against Racing in Lyon two weeks ago.
But McCall said: “Alex has played like that all season — and for me he is the best full-back in England.”
Captain Brad Barritt added: “It’s been a long journey for this team. After we did what we did in
Lyon, there was a huge emphasis on making this season one to remember. To do the double is pretty special.”
Exeter were in their first Premiership final just six years after winning promotion to the top flight.
But Nowell’s 72nd-minute try and conversion by Chiefs skipper Gareth Steenson had them within a try of glory.
Gutted fly-half Steenson said: “It will probably take a few days to really sit down and reflect on where we’ve come.
“When you look back on it we can be very proud all of us.
“But when you get that close the over-riding feeling right now is disappointment. We had the gameplan in place and Saracens just ran the ball back very well at us and squeezed us.
“We came back out in the second half and clawed back 20-odd points.
“It’s just a little disappointing we couldn’t squeeze them for the last four minutes.”
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Former USA skipper Wyles spotted a gap and powered past Chiefs full-back Phil Dollman for the second try four minutes before half time.
Farrell converted both scores before Steenson landed his second penalty seconds before the break.
Yeandle touched down after a trademark driving maul to spark the comeback on 65 minutes.
And Nowell skinned the entire Sarries rearguard to send Chiefs fans crazy.
But Chris Ashton set up Goode’s dramatic score and that was enough, despite sub fly-half Charlie Hodgson missing the conversion on his final appearance before retiring.