Harlequins beat Sale Sharks 24-10 to clinch first place in English rugby’s Premiership and the top spot in the playoffs.

Danny Care and Mike Brown scored tries and Nick Evans kicked 14 points as Harlequins finished with 75 points, one more than Leicester Tigers, which beat Bath 28-3, and two ahead of Saracens, a 40-22 winner over Exeter Chiefs.

Harlequins will host fourth-place Northampton Saints in the opening semifinal on May 12, with Saracens visiting Leicester later that day. The winners advance to the Premiership final May 26 at Twickenham Stadium in London.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Bob Bensch at bbensch@bloomberg.net