Gloucester-Hartpury secured a Women's Premier 15s home semi-final for the play-offs courtesy of a 48-14 win at Sale Sharks.

Exeter Chiefs, who were beaten by Saracens and Bristol Bears in their last two games, bounced back by thrashing Wasps 82-7.

Kate Zackary scored three of Exeter's 12 tries in the emphatic win.

They are second in the Premier 15s table and will play Gloucester-Hartpury in their final match of the season as they try to set up a home semi-final for the play-offs.

Loughborough Lightning said their home game against Worcester Warriors had to be postponed because of "unforeseen circumstances", while Worcester said in a tweet that the game was called off "due to the ambulance not showing up".

Just Stop Oil protesters caused a stoppage to rugby's Gallagher Premiership final by running on to the pitch and throwing orange paint powder.

Stewards escorted the protesters away to cheers from the crowd, and the men were later arrested.

It was the latest sporting event to be affected after play was halted at the World Snooker Championship in April.

A man climbed on to a table at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre and covered it in orange powder as another protester tried to glue herself to the second table. A 25-year-old man and 52-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.

A statement from Twickenham stadium said it was a "police matter", adding: "We would like to thank our stewarding team who acted decisively and swiftly."

Just Stop Oil said the protesters at Twickenham were a doctor and a construction worker.

A statement read: "Today's action occurs against a back-drop of more extreme weather events, as increasingly greater carbon concentrations in the atmosphere push us closer to irreversible tipping points, threatening to spin the balance of humanities' life supports systems out of control."

Saracens won 35-25 to secure their sixth Premiership title and first in four years.

Saracens captain Owen Farrell believes the team can still "raise the ceiling" of their ambition after winning a sixth Premiership title.

It was Saracens' seventh Premiership final in the last 10 years.

But the England fly-half said victory was not redemption for last year's final, where Sarries were beaten by Leicester in the last minute.

"I think what's more important is how we've been all season - the difference that we made at the start of the year, the difference in probably raising our ceiling of where we can go," he said.

"At this moment in time, regardless of how today went, it still feels like there's a lot for this young team now still to go.

"There's a feeling of wanting to get the best out of ourselves and that will carry on for a long time now."

Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall said Farrell is currently playing his "best rugby of his life".

Despite this being the 31-year-old's sixth Premiership title win, it was the first where he lifted the trophy as captain.

"If you spent the week at our training ground you wouldn't believe just how influential he is, how clear he is with the playing group, how emotive he is, what standards he sets, how supportive he is to team-mates young and old," McCall continued.

"He's played the best rugby of his life as well but his leadership is going to a whole new level.

"When the game is in the battles and it was 25-23 and we lacked a bit of energy, it wasn't just Owen but our senior players grasped the nettle really and saw us through very well in the last 15 or 20 minutes.

"We had a lot of control in that period of time and I think that's down to their experience in those situations. They've been there and done it before and they showed all that experience when we needed it most."

'Saracens only just starting'

Before the game, director of rugby Mark McCall spoke about how his side changed their mentality at the start of this campaign and committed to a "certain way of playing".

Despite dominating the regular season from start to finish and reasserting their position as the English game's dominant force following their return from the Championship, McCall still believes they can get better.

"Today feels really good and it's great to win but it feels like we're only just starting in lots of ways," McCall said.

"We knew if we wanted to play the way we wanted to play, we certainly needed to get fitter and we worked really hard at that.

"We looked a bit dead in the first 20 minutes of the second half and sometimes that's emotionally driven, but we found a way out of that and through that."

Sarries lost prop Mako Vunipola to injury before kick-off while hooker Jamie George departed with a head knock after just 10 minutes and wing Sean Maitland to a knee injury by the end of the first quarter.

Theo Dan impressed off the bench after replacing George, one of a growing number of emerging younger players in the Sarries squad.

"We've been playing some of these younger players all year," McCall noted. "To lose Mako before the game and Jamie after 10 minutes is a significant blow, given who else was already missing from the pack.

"But these young lads stepped up - but guided around by unbelievable senior players."

Two of those - number eight Jackson Wray and replacement centre Duncan Taylor - were playing their final games for the club.

"Jackson Wray and Duncan Taylor will go down as probably two of the best players ever to put on the Saracens jersey," added George. "What incredible players and more importantly, what incredible men. They deserve this."

Sale 'need to be more clinical'

Sale were playing in their first Premiership final in 17 years since they won the title in 2006 and director of rugby Alex Sanderson said the result left him "unbelievably gutted" and "ripped apart".

While he had no complaints about the result, he hopes the experience of reaching the Twickenham final and coming up just short will help the Sharks squad grow stronger and more determined to take the final step.

"Saracens deserved to win as we needed to be a bit more clinical at times," Sanderson told BBC Radio 5 Live. "But you don't win finals by shipping 35 points. There are simple lessons there.

"But we're growing. This is the start. I'm hugely optimistic about where we can take this. We've built something here which we can build on again and move forward with.

"We've got a really young, really enthusiastic group and I hope they get a taste for it as we'll be back here again at some point in the future."

A late converted John Hodnett try saw Munster edge the Stormers 19-14 to win a fiercely contested United Rugby Championship Grand Final in Cape Town.

Manie Libbok converted his own try to make it 7-0 but Diarmuid Barron and Calvin Nash crossed for Munster to give them a 12-7 half-time lead.

Deon Fourie scored a converted try to move Stormers ahead but Hodnett went over with five minutes remaining.

A 5,000 strong Munster contingent travelled to Cape Town and took their place in a sold-out 55,000 capacity DHL Stadium to watch their team end their 12-year trophy drought by seeing off the defending champions.

Stormers went into the game as favourites despite Munster's strong away form, which included wins on the road over their final opponents in round 17 of the regular league season, plus Leinster and Glasgow Warriors in the knockout rounds.

It was an energetic start from Munster but a loose pass from centre Antoine Frisch was intercepted by Libbok, who sprinted in from distance and touched down before adding the extras.

It was not long before Graham Rowntree's side hit back, with hooker Barron steering a line-out maul over the line and then crashing over to bring his side back into the game despite the conversion from Jack Crowley going wide.

A yellow card for Stormers number eight Evan Roos appeared to put Munster in the ascendancy as they dominated territory and possession but struggled to convert this into points, having two tries ruled out.

Just before the half-hour mark, Munster's intensity and varied attack was rewarded with a try from Nash who collected a skilful cross-kick from Crowley to give his side a deserved lead.

Stormers battled their way back into the game just before the interval, but Munster's impressive defence resisted their efforts and the visitors went in five points to the good at the break, with all to play for.

Momentum swung in Stormers' direction in the early stages of the second half after Mike Haley was shown a yellow card for a collision with a Stormers attacker.

Stormers piled on the pressure and a line-out maul resulted in Fourie coming up with the ball, having crashed over the line, with Libbok's conversion giving his side the lead.

A tense final quarter followed, with both sides locked in an arm-wrestle of back-and-forth action as the two teams appeared sapped of energy.

In the last few minutes, Munster worked their way into the Stormers' 22 and a well-worked move from Haley and an inside pass from Shane Daly, sent Hodnett through to burst over the try-line to win the game for his side, with Crowley adding the extras to extend the winning margin to five points.

Munster: Mike Haley; Calvin Nash, Antoine Frisch, Malakai Fekitoa, Shane Daly; Jack Crowley, Conor Murray; Jeremy Loughman, Diarmuid Barron, Stephen Archer; Jean Kleyn, Tadhg Beirne; Peter O'Mahony (capt), John Hodnett, Gavin Coombes.

Replacements: Niall Scannell, Josh Wycherley, Roman Salanoa, RG Snyman, Alex Kendellen, Craig Casey, Ben Healy, Keith Earls.

Stormers: Damian Willemse; Angelo Davids, Ruhan Nel, Dan du Plessis, Leolin Zas; Manie Libbok, Herschel Jantjies; Steven Kitshoff (capt), Joseph Dweba, Frans Malherbe; Marvin Orie, Ruben van Heerden; Deon Fourie, Hacjivah Dayimani, Evan Roos.

Replacements: JJ Kotze, Ali Vermaak, Neethling Fouche, Ben-Jason Dixon, Willie Engelbrecht, Marcel Theunissen, Paul de Wet, Clayton Blommetjies.

Saracens clinched their sixth Premiership title and their first in four years with a 35-25 win over Sale.

Victory was sweet for Sarries, who agonisingly missed out on the title last year after Freddie Burns' last-minute drop-goal for Leicester.

Play was briefly stopped in the first half as protesters from Just Stop Oil invaded the pitch before being removed.

This was Saracens' seventh Premiership final in the past 10 years, but their first title since 2019 following their relegation to the Championship for salary cap breaches in 2020.

Having missed out by the narrowest of margins a year ago, the win comes after a campaign in which the men in black dominated the league, finishing five points clear of Sale at the top.

The match was billed as a showdown between England number 10s George Ford and Owen Farrell and it started as such, with both fly-halves trading two penalties apiece in an even opening quarter.

There was little between the two sides when three protesters from Just Stop Oil suddenly invaded the pitch, throwing orange powder around and briefly stopping play.

When the match resumed, Sale seemed caught off guard by the disruption as they failed to deal with Alex Goode's kick, which he chased down into the in-goal area.

In a scramble to stop a try, Tom Curry tackled Max Malins off the ball and referee Luke Pearce instantly awarded a penalty try and sent the Sale flanker to the sin-bin.

Despite the man disadvantage, Sale reacted well and while Ford missed a penalty to reduce the deficit, they got their first try on the board.

Saracens collapsed a scrum, opening the door for Sale to kick to the corner. After a series of pick-and-gos, Pearce ruled Van der Merwe had been held up on the line but the television match official intervened and the try was awarded.

Having created Saracens' first try, the departing Malins got his name on the board to restore Saracens' lead minutes later, scorching onto Farrell's pass past two defenders to the line. Farrell's conversion made it a 20-13 lead at the break.

But after the interval momentum shifted Sale's way for the first time. Out of nothing, Van der Merwe broke through the defence and as Saracens failed to deal with his kick to the corner, Tom Roebuck dived acrobatically on the ball to score.

A third penalty from Farrell extended the gap to five points, but Sale boss Alex Sanderson rang the changes and they paid immediate dividends.

Replacement Bevan Rodd bundled over and Ford's conversion gave Sharks the lead for the first time. Suddenly their fans started to believe.

But Saracens are a team who know how to win big finals and that experience told in the final quarter.

With 14 minutes left Sale full-back Joe Carpenter's clearing kick was charged down in his own 22 as Saracens forced a turnover. The ball was moved out wide to Daly, who dived over at the left corner.

Then with 10 minutes left, Sarries struck the decisive blow. Scrum-half Van Zyl appeared to have been held up by Carpenter on the line, but after more deliberations from the TMO, the score was awarded.

There was still time for replacement Saracens prop Robin Hislop to be yellow-carded for a dangerous clear-out but Sale could not capitalise in the frenetic closing stages as Sarries held to seal another Premiership title.

Saracens avenge last year's loss

Few would have argued against Saracens' and Sale's inclusion in the Twickenham showdown, with the two teams having led the way all season by some distance, finishing first and second in the table - 15 and 10 points clear respectively of their nearest challenger Leicester.

For Saracens, victory caps a return to English rugby's summit after their relegation to the Championship in 2020 for salary cap breaches, and rewards director of rugby Mark McCall and the array of international stars who stayed with the team during their season in the second tier.

The win also goes some way to erasing the memories of 12 months ago, when Freddie Burns' last-minute drop-goal handed Leicester the title. That defeat lingered in Saracens minds and only made them "hungrier' to get it right this season, said flanker Ben Earl.

Sale take big step forward despite defeat

Despite defeat, Sale will take motivation from not just their performance at Twickenham but throughout the season, having reached their first Premiership final in 17 years.

The Sharks have been transformed into contenders under Sanderson since he took over in 2021, a coach who plied his trade under Mark McCall - who remains a good friend - at Saracens for 13 years, winning five titles with the team in the process.

After returning "home" to the team where he made played more than 100 matches in his own career, Sanderson guided Sale to a third-place finish last season, and now the final a year on.

They fell short this time but a host of homegrown talent has been bedded in - five of their starting line-up came through the academy - while the signing of Ford has made a big difference as they look to create a 'northern powerhouse'.

Saracens: Goode; Malins, Lozowski, Tompkins, Maitland; Farrell (capt), Van Zyl; Mawi, George, Riccioni, Itoje, Tizard, Isiekwe, Earl, Wray.

Replacements: Dan, Hislop, Judge, Hunter-Hill, Knight, De Haas, Taylor, Daly.

Sin bin: Robin Hislop (74 mins)

Sale Sharks: Carpenter; Roebuck, R Du Preez, Tuilagi, Reed; Ford, Warr; McIntyre, Van der Merwe, Schonert, J-L Du Preez, Hill, T Curry, Dugdale, Ross (capt).

Replacements: Ashman, Rodd, Oosthuizen, Beaumont, Ellis, Quirke, James, O'Flaherty.

Sin bin: Tom Curry (23 mins)

Referee: Luke Pearce.

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Sabres ended a lengthy wait by signing Ryan Johnston to a two-year, entry-level contract Saturday, more than a month after the defenseman completed his senior college season at Minnesota.

Johnston will report immediately to the Sabres' American Hockey League affiliate in Rochester, whose best-of-seven Eastern Conference final playoff series against Hershey is tied at 1.

From Southern California, Johnston is listed at 6-foot, 170 pounds and was selected 31st in the 2019 draft.

His puck-moving skills fit Buffalo's style of play. Johnston finished his college career with nine goals and 59 points in 143 career games, including four goals and 18 points in 40 games this year. He reached the NCAA's Frozen Four in each of his final two seasons, with the Gophers losing in the semifinals last year, followed by a 3-2 overtime loss to Quinnipiac in the championship game last month.

He also had a goal and three assists in seven games representing the U.S. team that won gold at the 2021 world junior championships.

Johnston, who turns 22 in July, had the option to wait until August, when he would've become an unrestricted free agent and eligible to sign with any team. Because Johnston was a first-round pick, the Sabres would've been compensated with a 2024 second-round selection had he signed elsewhere.

Both sides are banking on the player's age and college experience to enable Johnston to make the jump to the NHL within the next two seasons. The Sabres will still control Johnston's rights as a restricted free agent once his entry-level contract expires.

TAMPERE, Finland -- Germany scored a late equalizer and then upset the United States in overtime Saturday to set up a final against Canada at the ice hockey world championship.

Frederik Tiffels scored with 2 minutes, 28 seconds left in overtime to give Germany a 4-3 win over the Americans in the semifinals. Earlier, teenage forward Adam Fantilli scored the go-ahead goal as Canada edged Latvia 4-2 in the other semi.

Germany reached the final for the first time since 1992, when the playoff format was introduced at the world championship.

The German team pulled goaltender Mathias Niederberger when it was 3-2 down late in the third period, and Marcel Noebels equalized with a backhand shot with 1:23 remaining to force overtime.

Alex Tuch and Rocco Grimaldi had given the U.S. a 2-0 lead less than four minutes into the semifinal.

Germany replied with the goals from Tiffels and Maksymilian Szuber in the opening period to make it 2-2.

Michael Eyssimont put the U.S. ahead 3-2 on a rebound midway through the second period.

The U.S. outshot Germany 33-26.

The 18-year-old Fantilli, who is expected to be one of the top picks in the NHL draft, fooled a defenseman before netting his first goal of the tournament with 11:04 to go as Canada took a 3-2 lead.

"I got the pass from [Milan] Lucic. I was in the middle of a one-on-one and tried to make a move and ended up getting a shooting opportunity and it ended up going in," Fantilli said. "I'm really happy about it."

Samuel Blais, Jack Quinn and Scott Laughton also scored for Canada, whose goaltender Sam Montembeault made 20 saves.

Canada had to twice come from a goal down to reach its fourth straight final.

Dans Locmelis scored 8:18 into the game on a rebound to put tournament co-host Latvia 1-0 ahead.

Blais one-timed a shot to the roof of Latvia's goal with 4:28 to go in the middle period for his fourth goal at the tournament to make it 1-1.

Rudolfs Balcers restored the lead for Latvia from the left circle 1:06 later in the frame.

Quinn leveled it 45 seconds into the final period when his shot was deflected into the net from the mask of goaltender Arturs Silovs.

FRISCO, Texas — Padraig Harrington was in position for the 54-hole scoring record and a comfortable lead at the Senior PGA Championship.

Instead, the 51-year-old Irishman ended up in a tight fight with Steve Stricker in what will be a final-round matchup of opposing Ryder Cup captains from 2021.

Harrington wobbled for the first time in the tournament over the final three holes Saturday, settling for a second consecutive 4-under 68 and a one-shot lead over Stricker, who matched Harrington’s tournament-best 64 from the opening round.

Stewart Cink aced the 191-yard 13th hole in the first event on the Fields Ranch East course at the new Texas headquarters of the PGA of America, about 35 miles north of Dallas in Frisco.

He is three shots behind Harrington as the last of only three within six shots of the lead on a par-72 layout set to host the PGA Championship in 2027 and 2034 and possibly a Ryder Cup in the late 2030s.

Harrington was the only player left in the field without a bogey before a double-bogey at the par-4 16th when he went into a native area to the right of the green and needed two shots to get out.

What had been a five-shot lead over Stricker was down to one, and gone soon after when Stricker birdied the par-5 18th.

Harrington matched the birdie to retake the lead at 16 under, blasting a long bunker shot inside 10 feet. He is looking to become the first wire-to-wire winner of the event since Rocco Mediate in 2016.

Harrington had five birdies through 12 holes to get to 17 under, which is Sam Snead’s 50-year-old Senior PGA record through 54 holes.

There was still something to celebrate in his group, with Harrington giving Cink a leaping high-five after his playing partner’s ace.

Cink sank his hole-in-one with a perfect 6-iron that bounced about 20 feet in front of the hole and rolled in at just about the right speed. He kissed his wife and caddie, Lisa, and gave the signed ball to a fan.

Making his PGA Tour Champions debut less than a week after turning 50, Cink had to drop out of a native area on the next hole at 14 but salvaged a par. Two birdies and a bogey over the final four holes left him at 67.

Stricker extended his Champions-record streak of rounds of par or better to 48 in a row with four birdies on each nine.

The 56-year-old Stricker, who hasn’t finished outside the top eight in his first eight Champions starts this season, is coming off a victory in the first senior major of the season. It was his second consecutive Regions Tradition victory.

Harrington, the 2008 PGA champion and a two-time British Open winner, was on the verge of a runaway through 50 holes, and even escaped what looked to be the first momentum-turning moment.

Right on the edge of a native area on the short par-4 15th, Harrington took several swings to see how the tall grass would affect the shot, then finally put the ball inside 15 feet and just missed the birdie putt.

There was no escaping the trouble at 16.

Harrington knew immediately his approach shot wasn’t good, and took several whacks at the tall grass before attempting the first shot. The ball barely moved, and the second attempt was a high-arching shot that landed about 20 feet from the cup. Harrington missed the bogey putt.

Robert Karlsson, Darren Clarke and Y.E. Yang were at 9 under, a stroke better than defending Senior PGA champion Steven Alker, who shot 69.

Paris Saint-Germain clinched a record 11th French league title after drawing 1-1 at Strasbourg on Saturday to move four points of second-place Lens with one game left.

World Cup winner Lionel Messi put PSG ahead from Kylian Mbappe's pass in the 59th minute. Former PSG striker Kevin Gameiro equalized for Strasbourg in the 79th.

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It was Messi's 496th career league goal in Europe, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo's scoring record for Europe's top five leagues.

Lens secured second place and automatic entry into next season's Champions League by beating relegated Ajaccio 3-0 at home.

Defending champions PSG overtook former French powerhouses Saint-Etienne, who won their 10th title in 1981 but were relegated to the second division last season.

PSG have won nine of its 11 titles since Qatari backers QSI took charge 12 years ago, with the first of those in 2013. PSG's other titles were in 1986 and '94.

"Everything was not perfect, but this title belongs to the players. Being French champions is always something," said coach Christophe Galtier.

"From a personal point of view I appreciate it a lot."

Asked about his future at the club after one season in charge, Galtier said: "I've been reading a lot of things here and there but there is a difference between what's being written and what's happening."

Sources told ESPN earlier this month that Messi will leave PSG when his contract expires this summer. The 35-year-old has an offer from Saudi Arabia for Messi and he is aware of interest from former club Barcelona and Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, sources added.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.