Newcastle claimed three wins from their three games to finish top of the northern section, which was held in front of 6,497 spectators at Welford Road on Friday night, while Sale finished second.
They now join Saracens and Harlequins, the qualifiers from the southern section, in the finals at the Recreation Ground on Friday, August 6. Northampton Saints, Bath Rugby, Gloucester Rugby and Exeter Chiefs will battle it out for the right to join them next Friday.
Sale Sharks 33 Leeds Carnegie 7
Sale Sharks ran in five tries to beat Leeds Carnegie 33-7 in the opening game of the evening.
Josh Fowles scored the opening try for Sale, holding off the challenge of Tom Barrett on the left before dotting down.
Fowles, who was impressive all evening, then grabbed his and Sale’s second try when he ran in from 35m.
Leeds scored with their first attack of the game when Curtis Wilson ran a clever line off the left touchline to score under the posts.
But Sale hit back through David Tait, who exploited a hole in the Leeds midfield to give the Sharks a 21-7 half-time lead.
Henry Thomas extended the Sale advantage after the break, forcing his way past two Leeds defenders to score.
And Ed Thomas scored the final Sale try of the clash, collecting Tom Taylor’s pass to finish from short-range.
Leicester Tigers 7 Newcastle Falcons 19
Tigers' JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby Sevens Series began with a 19-7 defeat to Newcastle Falcons.
Newcastle got off to a flying start when England Sevens wing Charlie Amesbury pounced on loose ball in the centre of the pitch and escaped Stephen Macauley’s desperate lunge to score the opening try.
Tigers hit back and drew themselves level when fly-half George Ford darted through a gap close to the Newcastle line to score behind the posts.
Newcastle regained the lead right on half-time with a second try right from Amesbury. The Falcons wing angled his run to go over at the right corner to give Newcastle a 12-7 half-time lead.
Tigers almost hit back immediately after the restart when Ford found space in midfield before picking out Matt Everard on the left wing but the Leicester flanker was forced into touch by Jack Smales just short of the line.
Instead it was Newcastle who were next to score through Steve Parsons, who finished off a solo effort in the left-hand corner. Jack Smales landed the conversion from the left touchline to seal Newcastle’s 19-7 win.
Newcastle Falcons 19 Sale Sharks 12
Newcastle Falcons made it two wins from their opening two games with a 19-12 victory over Sale Sharks.
The two sides had won their opening games and it was Newcastle who drew first blood, and a laugh from the fans in the Caterpillar Stand, with their first try.
Tyson Lewis showed great strength to haul himself and Sale defender Fowles, who was hanging on to his shirt while being dragged along the floor, over the line.
Sale went close to their first try when Fowles was given room to run down the left wing but was eventually hauled down by Smales. But the ball was kept alive and Ed Stobart applied the finishing touch a few passes later to draw Sale level.
It was an open game and Burdon finished off a flowing move involving Lewis and Aaron Myers to score under the posts and restore the Newcastle lead. Mike Ward converted the try to put Newcastle 14-7 up at the break.
Newcastle extended their advantage after the break when Steve Parsons dived over from close range for his second try of the tournament.
Sale hit back with their second try of the game moments later when Tom Taylor finished off a flowing team move on the right to reduce the Newcastle lead to 19-12.
It set up an exciting finish but the Falcons held out to secure their win.
Leicester Tigers 26 Leeds Carnegie 33
A late try from Rob Almond gave Leeds Carnegie a 33-26 win over Leicester Tigers in a thrilling JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby Sevens Series clash.
Leeds took the lead early on, despite being forced backwards at their own attacking scrum. They managed to maintain possession and moved the ball to the right where Tom Barrett finished off the overlap.
Wilson then evaded Rob Conquest’s lunge on the left touchline before running in from 30m for Leeds’ second try.
Tigers hit back immediately and drew level with two quick-fire tries. First Conquest swooped on Wilson’s loose pass, which ricocheted off his own posts and into the Tigers lock’s hands next to the Leeds line.
Then Macaulay accepted Ford’s pass to score at the right-hand corner to bring the Tigers fans to their feet. And there was an even louder cheer when Ford landed his conversion from the touchline to bring Tigers level.
Leeds regained the lead with the last attack of the half when they worked an overlap for Almond to run in unopposed. Barrett added his third conversion of the half to put Leeds 21-14 ahead at the break.
Tigers hit back immediately after the restart when Everard and Conquest combined for Everard to force his way over on the left. Ford was again on target with the extras to draw Tigers level.
And Tigers took the lead for the first time moments later when Everard finished off Jimmy Stevens’ powerful run for his second try of the game to secure a try bonus point.
The lead was short-lived and Leeds scored their fourth when Oli Denton held off Macauley to score on the left. It levelled the scores at 26-26.
And it was Leeds who grabbed the win right at the death when Almond latched on to James Twomey’s chip ahead to score his second try of the game. Barrett added the conversion with the last kick to seal a 33-26 win.
Leicester Tigers 10 Sale Sharks 33
Tigers finished their JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby Sevens Series campaign with a 33-10 defeat to Sale Sharks.
Salevopened the scoring when Ben Davey made the hard yards down the right wing before finding Will Cliff inside to run in from the 22.
Tigers youngster Macauley was then shown a yellow card moments later and Cliff took advantage to add his second try of the game in Sale’s next attack.
Ed Stobart then scored a solo try to extend the Sale lead, angling his run into the left corner. Eliot Brierley scored Sale’s fourth try of the game on the stroke of half-time and Cliff landed his fourth conversion to put Sale 28-0 ahead at the break.
Tigers piled on the pressure after the restart and forced Sale to defend deep in their own 22. And the hosts were rewarded with two tries in quick succession. Firstly, Rory Lynn twisted his way through the Sale defence to dot down before Macauley finished from close range to reduce the Sale lead to 28-10.
But with the clock having run down, it was Sale who scored the final try of the game through Fowles to seal a 33-10 win.
Newcastle Falcons 15 Leeds Carnegie 12
Newcastle booked their place in the finals of JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby Sevens Series with a 15-12 win over Leeds Carnegie in the final match of the evening.
Both sides went into the clash with a chance of reaching the finals and it was Newcastle who took an early lead through Fred Burdon’s opportunist try.
The Falcons then scored a brilliant second try when Parsons collected Myers’ cheeky pass deep inside his own half and raced 80m to dive over.
Leeds hit back with a converted try by Denton, the centre following up Richard Beck’s try to score under the posts. It reduced the Newcastle lead to 10-7 at the break.
And Leeds claimed the lead two minutes into the second period when Denton’s break was followed up by Wilson, who forced his way over from 10 metres.
Back Newcastle came and again it was Myers who was the architect. This time his pass freed Jack Harrison to cross on the right and put the Falcons decisively ahead.
The score was enough to secure victory, top spot in the northern section and a place in the finals in two weeks.
