28 March 2023 , 08:30
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Owen Farrell’s showdown with England fly-half rival Marcus Smith smashed the previous viewing record for a Premiership rugby match.
The match, played on Saturday at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, drew a crowd of 55,109 to see Farrell’s Saracens beat Harlequins 36-24.
Broadcast live both on ITV and BT Sport, the London derby was seen on television by more than 1.5 million - 200,000 more than tuned into last season’s Grand Final. The figure broke down into 1.33 million on ITV and 186,000 on BT Sport.
Premiership Rugby boss Simon Massie-Taylor said: "We are equally pleased to see stadium attendances remaining on a strong upwards trajectory.
"It is incredible to see eight teams still very much in the mix for the four semi-final spots.”
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Saracens’ five-try win, which booked them a home semi-final six weeks from the end of the regular season, was marred by the ankle ligament damage suffered by Farrell.
Mark McCall's north Londoners have yet to issue an update on the England captain as they await scan results.