Trokkie barges over Bok champs into final

Juarno Augustus will experience the Investec Champions Cup final for the first time after Northampton Saints edged Leinster in a thrilling clash in Dublin on Saturday.

The South African No 8, who joins Irish outfit Ulster next season, played a prominent role for the reigning Premiership champions in a 37-34 victory at the Aviva Stadium.

His offload to Tommy Freeman in the first half led to the England flyer’s third try of the match, and his powerful carries and tireless defence helped  Phil Dowson’s charges exact revenge for last season’s dramatic semi-final where Leinster won 20-17 after a nail-biting finish.

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Former Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber’s defensive nous and fellow two-time World Cup winner RG Snyman’s physicality and offloading game have been key for Leinster this season. However, defeat in the Irish capital ended the four-time champions’ pursuit of their first European cup crown since 2018. 

Freeman’s hat-trick, a Henry Pollock touchdown and the boot of flyhalf Fin Smith, powered the visitors to a 27-15 half-time lead, scores from Tommy O’Brien and Josh van der Flier and five points from the boot of Sam Prendergast kept the home side in the fight at the break.

Tries from Van der Flier, skipper Caelan Doris and fellow Ireland international James Lowe pushed the Saints – who lost flanker Josh Kemeny and lock Alex Coles to yellow cards late in the second stanza – to the limits.

But a Smith penalty and converted James Ramm try provided enough of a buffer to book Northampton’s spot in the 24 May showpiece in Cardiff, where the English club will face the winner of Sunday’s semi-final between hosts Bordeaux-Begles and title-holders Toulouse.

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