Reigning champions Exeter made sure they would finish top in the regular-season English Premiership table on Saturday as London Irishâs long-awaited relegation was confirmed without the Exiles taking the field.
Exeterâs 34-19 bonus-point win at home to Sale meant they could not be overtaken by second-placed Saracens.
But the English title is decided by play-offs, the top four contesting two play-off semi-finals with the winners going forward to a Twickenham final for the right to be crowned Premiership champions.
This was the first time that southwest side Exeter had finished top of the Premiership standings, but forwards coach Rob Hunter was quick to put the achievement in context.
âItâs really nice to finish top but we donât get anything for it and itâs only good for a week as it will be back to the drawing board ahead of the play-offs,â he said.
Exeterâs tries came from Nic White, Jack Yeandle, Greg Holmes and Lachie Turner with Joe Simmonds converting the first three tries and a penalty.
Elsewhere Worcester boss Alan Solomons was left bemoaning his sideâs maddening inconsistency after they swept aside Harlequins 44-13 to maintain top-flight Rugby next season.
The four tries the Midlands club scored in the first half alone were enough to secure the bonus point that sent London Irish, long at the bottom of the table, into the second-tier Championship.
Worcester ran in seven tries in total, centre Jackson Willison grabbing two while wing Bryce Heem, lock Darren Barry, England centre Ben Teâo, scrum-half Francois Hougaard and replacement Jamie Shillcock also crossed Quinsâ line.
âInconsistencyâ
Yet it said something about Worcesterâs season that even with this thumping win they remained 11th in a 12-team Premiership where only the bottom club at the end of the season gets relegated.
âI am overjoyed that we have sealed our place next year in the Premiership,â said veteran South African coach Solomons.
âWhat I found is just the inconsistency of the team,â he added. âThroughout the time I have been here since mid-October, we have beaten Exeter away, weâve beaten Gloucester, beaten Leicester away, we got four tries against Sarries and I think we have played some super games.
âBut what we havenât done is be consistent enoughâŠThat is something we need to address next season and it will be addressed next season.â
Solomons praised the contribution of former Ireland lock Donncha OâCallaghan, who marked his final match before retirement by captaining Worcester against Quins.
âHe is such a nice guy and what a way to finish. He has all his family here.â
Meanwhile, OâCallaghan added: âI have been lucky to be part of successful teams but I have seen another side of Rugby with one down the other end.
âIt has been enjoyable and Iâve made some incredible friends.â
Saturdayâs other Premiership match saw Bath overpower west country rivals Gloucester 43-20.
The win kept Bath in the hunt for European Champions Cup qualification, although they still need other results to go their way.
âIt just showed when the mindset is right what a difference it can make,â said Bath coach Todd Blackadder.