Boks get perfect send-off from Sharks
PREMIERSHIP WRAP: Sale Sharks marked the departures of South Africa duo Francois de Klerk and Lodewyk de Jager in perfect fashion.
They recorded a 42-19 victory over Bristol at the AJ Bell Stadium.
De Klerk has become a Sale favourite, turning out consistently-excellent performances over the past five years, while de Jager has been a man mountain whenever he has been on the pitch.
Injuries have hampered the Springbok lock's Sharks career but he and de Klerk were at their best as they hammered a forlorn Bristol team.
They utterly dominated the first half, touching down four times through Tom Roebuck, Armand van der Merwe and Cobus Wiese's brace.
Toby Fricker crossed the whitewash and Nathan Hughes scored a double in the second period to give the visitors some consolation, but Sale managed two of their own via Dan du Preez and Arron Reed.
* In other matches Tommy Freeman showcased his burgeoning talent by scoring a hat-trick in Northampton's 65-26 thumping of Newcastle, which qualified the hosts for the play-offs.
* Gloucester missed out on the play-offs, but they still ended their season with a thumping 54-7 victory over Saracens at Kingsholm.
* Leicester booked a semifinal against East Midlands rivals Northampton with a stumbling 20-10 win over Wasps.
* A record crowd of 14,876 at Sandy Park saw Exeter finish their season in style by beating Harlequins 47-38 in a 13-try thriller.
* Bath were condemned to a bottom-of-the-table finish as they suffered a 43-27 defeat to Worcester at Sixways in the final round. Jamie Shillcock led the way with a hat-trick for the hosts, who also saw Kyle Hatherell, Gareth Simpson and Joe Batley cross.
All the final round scorers and scorers follow below ...
Exeter Chiefs 47-38 Harlequins
The scorers
For Exeter Chiefs
Tries: J Gray, Hogg, Simmonds, Whitten, Nowell, Street, Maunder
Cons: Simmonds 6
For Harlequins
Tries: Evans, Marchant, Morris, Lynagh, Gjaltema, Green
Cons: Smith 3, Allan
The teams:
Exeter: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Ian Whitten, 12 Harvey Skinner, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Stu Townsend, 8 Richard Capstick, 7 Jacques Vermeulen, 6 Dave Ewers, 5 Dafydd Jenkins, 4 Jonny Gray, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Alec Hepburn.
Replacements: 16 Iestyn Harris, 17 James Kenny, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Sam Skinner, 20 Santiago Grondona, 21 Sam Maunder, 22 Sean O'Brien, 23 Facundo Cordero.
Harlequins: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Louis Lynagh, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Aaron Morris, 10 Marcus Smith, 9 Danny Care, 8 Alex Dombrandt, 7 Will Evans, 6 Stephan Lewies, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Matt Symons, 3 Will Collier, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 Joe Gray, 17 Jordan Els, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 George Hammond, 20 James Chisholm, 21 Lewis Gjaltema, 22 Tommy Allan, 23 Luke Northmore.
Referee: Ian Tempest
Assistant referees: Phil Watters, Gareth Holsgrove
TMO: David Rose
Gloucester 54-7 Saracens
The scorers
For Gloucester
Tries: Singleton 2, Reid, Carreras, Thorley, Socino, Rees-Zammit, Clement
Cons: Hastings 7
For Saracens
Try: Malins
Con: Vunipola
The teams:
Gloucester: 15 Santiago Carreras, 14 Louis Rees-Zammit, 13 Chris Harris, 12 Giorgi Kveseladze, 11 Ollie Thorley, 10 Adam Hastings, 9 Ben Meehan, 8 Ruan Ackermann, 7 Lewis Ludlow (captain), 6 Jordy Reid, 5 Matias Alemanno, 4 Freddie Clarke, 3 Kirill Gotovtsev, 2 Jack Singleton, 1 Val Rapava-Ruskin.
Replacements: 16 Santiago Socino, 17 Harry Elrington, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Andrew Davidson, 20 Jack Clement, 21 Charlie Chapman, 22 Billy Twelvetrees, 23 Jonny May.
Saracens: 15 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 14 Max Malins, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Duncan Taylor, 11 Ben Harris, 10 Manu Vunipola, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Janco Venter, 7 Toby Knight, 6 Jackson Wray (captain), 5 Tim Swinson, 4 Callum Hunter-Hill, 3 Alec Clarey, 2 Kapeli Pifeleti, 1 Eroni Mawi.
Replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Ralph Adams-Hale, 18 Sam Wainwright, 19 Cameron Boon, 20 Sean Reffell, 21 Ruben de Haas, 22 Dom Morris, 23 Josh Hallett.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
Assistant referees: Andrew Jackson, Simon Harding
TMO: Tom Foley
Leicester Tigers 20-10 Wasps
The scorers
For Leicester Tigers
Tries: Porter, Steward
Cons: Ford 2
Pens: Ford 2
For Wasps
Try: Porter
Con: CONSAtkinson
Pen: Gopperth
The teams:
Leicester: 15 Freddie Steward, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Matías Moroni, 12 Guy Porter, 11 Harry Potter, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Hanro Liebenberg, 6 George Martin, 5 Calum Green, 4 Ollie Chessum, 3 Dan Cole, 2 Charlie Clare, 1 Ellis Genge (captain).
Replacements: 16 Tom Cowan-Dickie, 17 Nephi Leatigaga, 18 Will Hurd, 19 Harry Wells, 20 Tommy Reffell, 21 Jack van Poortvliet, 22 Freddie Burns, 23 Nemani Nadolo.
Wasps: 15 Ali Crossdale, 14 Paolo Odogwu, 13 Sam Spink, 12 Jimmy Gopperth, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Charlie Atkinson, 9 Dan Robson, 8 Tom Willis, 7 Jack Willis, 6 Brad Shields, 5 James Gaskell, 4 Joe Launchbury (captain), 3 Biyi Alo, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Tom West.
Replacements: 16 Dan Frost, 17 Robin Hislop, 18 Elliot Millar-Mills, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Alfie Barbeary, 21 Will Porter, 22 Rob Miller, 23 Malakai Fekitoa.
Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys
Assistant referees: Joe James, Jamie Leahy
TMO: Rowan Kitt
Northampton Saints 65-26 Newcastle Falcons
The scorers
For Northampton Saints
Tries: Matavesi 2, Coles, Mitchell, Freeman 3, Hutchinson, Skosan, Ludlam
Cons: Biggar 6
Pen: Biggar
For Newcastle Falcons
Tries: Chick, Blamire, Radwan, Penalty try
Cons: Hodgson 2, Penalty try does not require a conversion
The teams:
Northampton: 15 George Furbank, 14 Matt Proctor, 13 Fraser Dingwall, 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Tommy Freeman, 10 Dan Biggar, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Lewis Ludlam (captain), 7 Aaron Hinkley, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Api Ratuniyarawa, 4 Alex Coles, 3 Paul Hill, 2 Sam Matavesi, 1 Alex Waller.
Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Emmanuel Iyogun, 18 Ehren Painter, 19 David Ribbans, 20 Brandon Nansen, 21 Juarno Augustus, 22 Tom James, 23 Courtnall Skosan.
Newcastle: 15 Alex Tait, 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Mateo Carreras, 10 Joel Hodgson, 9 Michael Young, 8 Callum Chick (captain), 7 Josh Basham, 6 Gary Graham, 5 Sean Robinson, 4 Greg Peterson, 3 Trevor Davison, 2 George McGuigan, 1 Adam Brocklebank.
Replacements: 16 Jamie Blamire, 17 Logovi'i Mulipola, 18 Conor Kenny, 19 George Merrick, 20 Carl Fearns, 21 Cameron Nordli-Kelemeti, 22 Will Haydon-Wood, 23 George Wacokecoke.
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant referees: Mike Hudson, John Meredith
TMO: Stuart Terheege
Sale Sharks 42-19 Bristol Bears
The scorers
For Sale Sharks
Tries: Roebuck, van der Merwe, Wiese 2, du Preez, Reed
Cons: R du Preez 4, Wilkinson 2
For Bristol Bears
Tries: Fricker, Hughes 2
Cons: Sheedy 2
The teams:
Sale: 15 Simon Hammersley, 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Sam James, 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11 Arron Reed, 10 Rob du Preez, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Daniel du Preez, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Jean-Luc du Preez, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Nick Schonert, 2 Akker van der Merwe, 1 Bevan Rodd.
Replacements: 16 Ewan Ashman, 17 Ross Harrison, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Matt Postlethwaite, 20 Ben Curry, 21 Gus Warr, 22 Connor Doherty, 23 Kieran Wilkinson.
Bristol: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Jack Bates , 12 Alapati Leiua, 11 Toby Fricker, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Sam Jeffries, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Steven Luatua (captain), 5 Chris Vui, 4 John Hawkins, 3 John Afoa, 2 Jake Kerr, 1 Jake Woolmore.
Replacements: 16 Bryan Byrne, 17 Jono Benz-Salomon, 18 George Kloska, 19 Ed Holmes, 20 Nathan Hughes, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Henry Purdy.
Referee: Adam Leal
Assistant referees: Nick Wood, Wayne Falla
TMO: Hamish Smales
Worcester Warriors 43-27 Bath
The scorers
For Worcester Warriors
Tries: Hatherell, Simpson, Shillcock 3, Batley
Cons: Smith 5
Pen: Smith
For Bath
Tries: Muir 2, Stuart, Dunn
Cons: Bailey 2
Pen: Bailey
The teams:
Worcester: 15 Jamie Shillcock, 14 Perry Humphreys, 13 Francois Venter, 12 Ashley Beck, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Gareth Simpson, 8 Ted Hill (captain), 7 Sam Lewis, 6 Kyle Hatherell, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Joe Batley, 3 Christian Judge, 2 Niall Annett, 1 Rory Sutherland.
Replacements: 16 Isaac Miller, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Murray McCallum, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Tom Dodd, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Noah Heward, 23 Alex Hearle.
Bath: 15 Tom de Glanville, 14 Joe Cokanasiga, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Max Ojomoh, 11 Will Muir, 10 Orlando Bailey, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Sam Underhill, 6 Jaco Coetzee, 5 Charlie Ewels (captain), 4 Ewan Richards, 3 Will Stuart, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Beno Obano.
Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Valeriy Morozov, 18 Ma'afu Fia, 19 Mike Williams, 20 Miles Reid, 21 Max Green, 22 Danny Cipriani, 23 Gabriel Hamer-Webb.
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe
Assistant referees: Dan Jones, Greg Macdonald
TMO: Claire Hodnett
Sources: PA & RugbyPass