CHAMPIONS! Saints grab Gallagher PREM glory as they see off Exeter Chiefs

Exeter produced some incredible defensive resilience throughout, but Saints finally found a way to break their resistance as Hendy went over twice on the right.

It was another game-changing contribution at Twickenham for Hendy, who was the hero of the 2024 final win against Bath as his dazzling assist set up Alex Mitchell's winning try.

Saints, as they had two years ago, had a huge fight on their hands as Exeter refused to give them anything for free.

Rob Baxter's men moved ahead for the first time in the match on 52 minutes as skipper Dafydd Jenkins scored just after Josh Kemeny had been sin-binned for a high tackle on him.

Saints needed to summon up all of their fighting spirit, and they did that as they kept coming forward and eventually forced Jenkins into the sin bin for a high tackle on George Furbank.

The black, green and gold made the most of their extra man as they turned the screw, sending Hendy over twice with the kind of excellent patience and execution that had been lacking earlier in the match.

Exeter tried to mount one of their trademark comebacks but they were met with a phenomenal Saints defensive set on halfway as 'come on you Saints' echoed around the stadium.

Player of the match Henry Pollock capped the defensive stand with a breakdown penalty and though Exeter had one final surge into the Saints 22 in the closing seconds, they were again unable to get through the black, green and gold.

England scrum-half Mitchell, who had to come on early on for the injured Archie McParland, sent the ball back and it was booted out by Fin Smith to put the seal on the victory.

It was truly hard fought, despite the fact Saints had initially flown out of the blocks as confusion in the Exeter defence presented them with a score.

McParland threaded a kick through and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and Olly Woodburn bumped into each other, meaning the ball came loose for Tommy Freeman to gather and score.

Smith converted well from the right touchline and Saints soon threatened again as Tom Pearson won a big breakdown penalty, allowing his team to kick to the corner.

Pollock tried to get the ball down, but he was held up over the line and Exeter escaped.

Exeter lost hooker Max Norey to injury inside the opening 10 minutes, but Saints were soon dealt an injury blow of their own.

McParland tried to rush back to stop Campbell Ridl scoring after Freeman's pass was intercepted, but RIdl scored and McParland had to be helped from the field.

Henry Slade missed the conversion as Mitchell, returning from a hamstring injury, made his way onto the pitch.

Saints were suddenly under siege, with Exeter flying forward at every opportunity.

Freeman had to race back to stop Stephen Varney scoring as Exeter continued crank up the heat.

Saints looked to land a sucker punch at the other end as Hendy gathered a kick ahead and tried to get the ball back inside to Furbank, but the ball was knocked forward and it was a huge let-off for Exeter, who then won a penalty at the scrum.

Exeter then landed a 50:22 to move themselves deep into Saints territory, but the lineout was lost.

Still though, Saints couldn't get any go-forward against a brutal wall of white, who were firing into collisions and pushing the black, green and gold back.

Exeter were held up over the line from a maul after kicking a penalty to the corner and Saints tried to push forward soon after as Alex Coles broke through, but Feyi-Waboso got to the ball before knocking it on.

Saints kept coming and they eventually found a way through as they stayed patient and Smith produced the finish.

Exeter had a chance to respond before the break as they lined up a lineout in the Saints 22, and they enjoyed some huge fortune as they overthrew it, only for it to drop into the hands of Josh Iosefa-Scott, who powered over.

Slade missed the conversion and stayed out for a little while after as the half-time whistle was blown as he looked to practice his kicking from the tee.

Saints looked to get back on the front foot early in the second half, but they were again met by incredible resistance.

Rory Hutchinson did manage to go over, but his effort was ruled out as Tom Litchfield's final pass was deemed to be forward.

It was yet another missed chance in a game full of them for Saints, who were nowhere near their clinical best as they continued to let Exeter off the hook.

Saints were down to 14 men when Kemeny was shown a yellow card for making contact with the head of Jenkins in a tackle.

And Exeter took immediate advantage, sending Jenkins over.

Slade made no mistake with the conversion this time, and Saints were behind for the first time, having to play the next eight minutes a man down.

Saints looked like the may land a blow of their own soon after as Coles released Mitchell, but the England man knocked on over the line under huge pressure from an incredible try-saving tackle from Campbell Ridl.

However, Exeter lost a man on review as Jenkins was sin-binned for a high tackle on Furbank in the build-up.

Saints kicked to the corner, but they just could not force their way over the line as Exeter denied them from close range again.

Error after error was stopping Saints' attempts to get in the ascendancy as Exeter gratefully lapped up every mistake.

Kemeny came back from the bin on 61 minutes, giving Saints six minutes against the 14-man opposition.

They made it count as they piled the pressure on the Exeter line again, eventually getting the ball to Hendy, who finished in the corner.

Smith missed the conversion to leave Saints 19-17 up with 15 minutes to go.

Saints soon pushed forward again, and they scored a beauty of a try as Pollock carried hard before Smith slotted a lovely little kick through for Hendy to finish superbly.

Smith converted brilliantly from the right touchline and Saints then had to stand tall as they produced an incredible defensive set on halfway, with Pollock crowning it with a breakdown penalty.

Smith opted to go for goal with the penalty from just inside his own half, but it dropped short and Exeter came again.

They won a penalty at a scrum and kicked to the corner, but Saints held out again before booting the ball into the stands to put the seal on their superb season.

Saints: 15 George Furbank (c); 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Tom Litchfield (Fraser Dingwall 60), 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 George Hendy; 10 Fin Smith, 9 Archie McParland (Alex Mitchell 11); 1 Emmanuel Iyogun (Danilo Fischetti 49), 2 Curtis Langdon (Craig Wright 49), 3 Elliot Millar Mills (Luke Green 49); 4 Alex Coles, 5 Ed Prowse (JJ van der Mescht 53); 6 Josh Kemeny (Tom Lockett 78), 7 Tom Pearson (Callum Chick 57), 8 Henry Pollock.

Exeter Chiefs: 15 Olly Woodburn; 14 Immanuel Feyi-Waboso, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Campbell Ridl (Will Haydon-Wood 78); 10 Harvey Skinner, 9 Stephen Varney; 1 Scott Sio (Ethan Burger 46), 2 Max Norey (Joseph Dweba 9), 3 Josh Iosefa-Scott (Bachuki Tchumbadze 46); 4 Dafydd Jenkins (c), 5 Andrea Zambonin; 6 Tom Hooper, 7 Ethan Roots (Christ Tshiunza 47), 8 Greg Fisilau (Kane James 78).

Referee: Matthew Carley