Exeter score fastest try in Premiership final history

Exeter Chiefs scored the fastest try in Premiership history when Nic White crossed after just 25 seconds against Saracens.

The touchdown came so quickly the smoke had barely cleared from the pre-match pyrotechnics for the 2019 Gallagher Premiership final at Twickenham!

The Chiefs kicked off in the afternoon sunshine, but Saracens could not secure possession and when the ball bobbled loose the chasing Alex Cuthbert managed to collect it and set up a ruck just metres out from the line.

Exeter’s forwards piled in to the recycle the ball quickly and then scrum-half White drove over from close range with less than half a second on the clock.

You can watch the try here…

The previous quickest try was scored by Wasps’ Josh Lewsey after 67 seconds in the 2003 Premiership final against Gloucester, so White has taken more than 40 seconds off the record.

However, White’s try is not the quickest score in a Premiership final. Ten years ago, in the 2009 final between London Irish and Leicester, Peter Hewat dropped a goal after just 19 seconds.

Lee Blackett has the record for the fastest try in Premiership history, scoring after just eight seconds for Leeds against Newcastle in 2008.

White’s score wasn’t the only drama in the opening few minutes of the 2019 final. From the restart, Saracens launched a multi-phase attack and Henry Slade was sin-binned after three minutes for a deliberate knock-on as Alex Goode looked to pass the ball wide to Sean Maitland.

In conversation with the TMO, the possibility of a penalty try was also discussed, but this was ruled out as Jack Nowell was in a position to cover across to tackle Maitland.

Saracens did get a try from the resulting penalty, however. They kicked for a five-metre lineout, set a powerful driving maul and Jamie George touched down.

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