Premier Final: Northampton 26-17 Exeter, George Hendy’s winner helps Saints lift trophy.

Northampton skipper Furbank has left the Saints team that has been winning the most in recent years as he lifted the trophy in his last outing before joining Harlequins.

Just 3 league defeats this season have kept Saints top of the table, having won the Premier League two years ago and reaching the Champions Cup final last season, where they reached the final for the third time in as many seasons.

While Furbank may be leaving, Saints fans will be hoping that stars such as Smith, man of the match Pollock and Freeman return to Twickenham in the near future.

For Exeter, despite losing the final for the fifth time in seven attempts, the game marked a remarkable revival after finishing ninth last season – the club’s worst top-flight finish since promotion in 2010.

The Chiefs suffered a 79-17 defeat at Gloucester last April and have won just four league games all season – two against weakened sides – and the Devon side look to be in turmoil.

But new coaches and a host of new players such as Ekitau, Varney and Tom Hooper have reignited the team that dominated the domestic scene for the second half of the decade.

With new American investment, this victory could be the start of another dynasty that started a decade ago when they made six consecutive Premiership finals and won the 2020 European Champions Cup.

Northampton Furbank (c); Freeman, Litchfield, Hutchinson, Hendy; Smith, McParland; Yeogun, Langdon, Millar Mills; Coles, Prowse, from Meany, Pearson, Pollock

Substitutions: Wright, Fischetti, Green, van der Mecht, Lockett, Chick, Mitchell, Dingwall.

Yellow Card: heavy (51)

Exeter: Woodburn; Fai-Waboso, Slade, Ikitau, Riddle; Skinner, Varney; Sio, Norey, Iosefa-Scott; Jenkins (C), Zambonin, Hooper, Root, Fisilau.

Substitutions: Dweba, Berger, Chumbadez, Tshiunza, Vincent, James, Cairns, Haydon-wood.

Yellow Card: Jenkins (57)

Judge: Matthew Carly.