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Northampton topped the table after 18 regular season games and their highly-anticipated regional neighbors finished fourth under Geoff Parling.
A scrum down the right from Henry Pollock laid the foundation for the fastest try in a primetime playoff game as Litchfield held off the Tigers after 87 seconds.
Leicester’s response was swift – Liebenberg was at the helm in what would be his last game for Leicester, before the England international steward stretched out to score with his right-hander just weeks before.
A mix-up between Steward and Billy Searle as they attempted to clear a cross from Rory Hutchinson gave Lichfield their second try.
Freeman’s pin point on the right edge beat Finn Smith and the winger headed the ball over his head to give the hosts a stunning third try.
Polk scored another Saints try before the Tigers hit back in style, with Searle’s clever cross in the 36th minute finding Hassel-Collins and the winger finishing brilliantly.
However, the first-half scoring spree did not end there as Lichfield were muscled in a last-ditch effort to complete the treble.
After the break, the game continued at a high pace and Northampton were out of the running threat as Furbank’s first try was scored by Bailey for Nerogram.
Saints finally increased their advantage through McParland when TV match official Elliott Millar gave Mills a try on the hour mark – ending a flurry of moves through the hands of Tom Pearson, Fraser Dingwall and Furbank.
Hassell-Collins’ second try of the night gave Leicester hope of a late comeback, but after Craig Wright was sin-binned in the 78th minute, Furbank put the result beyond doubt for the 14-man Saints.
Northampton Saints Furbank; 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, Weimann, Dingwall.
Sin-bin: Wright (78)
Leicester Tigers: steward Radwan, Wand, Bailey, Hassell-Collins; Searle, van Poortvliet; Smith, Blamire, Hayes; Martin, Chesum, Liebenberg, Reffle, Morrow.
Substitutions: Clare, van der Flier, Hurd, Henderson, Cracknell, Whiteley, Kata, Perez.
Judge: Luke Pearce.
