Quins snatch victory after Stoop thriller

A last-gasp try from Joe Marler secured a narrow 25-23 win over Northampton as Harlequins booked their place in the Premiership final.

Saints held a narrow 12-9 advantage at half-time at The Stoop after Ryan Lamb slotted four penalties to Nick Evans's three, before the Quins fly-half drew the tries level shortly after the restart. The pair traded further penalties before Lamb re-established a three-point cushion with another successful kick, before Evans wasted an opportunity to draw level. Saints appeared to have made him pay when a slick move from 50 metres out ended with Lee Dickson crossing over, but Lamb failed to add the extras to rub salt in the wound. However, Evans kicked another penalty before, with four minutes left on the clock, the Quins' forwards gathered a lineout on the Saints 22 and produced a rampaging maul, pushing Saints back to their own try line, with Marler touching down to tie the scores. Up stepped Evans again to slot the conversion between the posts to seal a first Aviva Premiership final for Harlequins, who will take on either Saracens or Leicester at Twickenham on May 26.