Northampton - 38 London Irish - 9 Northampton coach Wayne Smith last night saluted international stars Matt Dawson and Budge Pountney after the Saints stormed into the final.
Northampton gained emphatic revenge for their comprehensive defeat in last season's Twickenham showpiece when they lost 38-7 to London Irish, by thrashing the Exiles in a one-sided semi-final at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium.
Saints triumphed 38-9, scoring five converted tries from Pountney, his fellow flanker Darren Fox, lock Steve Williams, number eight Mark Connors and substitute centre Peter Jorgensen.
They will now meet Gloucester in the final on April 5th, and could take some stopping, judging by this display.
It will be Northampton's third domestic final appearance in four seasons, although they have yet to lift England's premier knock-out prize.
Pountney and England scrum-half Dawson, making his first appearance for three weeks after suffering a calf injury, were architects of Irish's demise.
"We have got two or three world-class players," said Smith.
"Matt Dawson broke Irish open early on, which set a platform for us.
"Budge Pountney is a magnificent footballer and leader for us, and I thought that our forwards were fantastic today.
"I am hugely satisfied for us to be going back to Twickenham. London Irish are a good team, but we had a good day today.
"We will enjoy tonight and tomorrow, but then we will switch our focus to the Premiership game against Bath on March 15."
Cup holders Irish were never in the contest. All their points came from outhalf Barry Everitt's boot, and they were blown away when Saints rattled up 17 unanswered points in seven minutes at the start of the second half.
"The performance was more disappointing than the result," said director Conor O'Shea.
"We couldn't string the ball through more than one or two phases, no one straightened the line and we looked average.
"There is a massive feeling of disappointment, but the tone was set from the first play of the game. We had worked hard all week on stopping Matt Dawson, but we didn't do that at the start.
"We conceded soft tries, and it would be an understatement to say that I am disappointed.
"I thought that Matt Dawson and Budge Pountney were outstanding for Northampton. Northampton were more physical than us, and we turned over more ball today than we would in a season.
"Northampton were better than us in every facet of the game."
Irish must now devote all their attention to the Premiership, where they are by no means out of relegation danger.
Northampton can look forward to a day at Twickenham, hell bent on landing their first major domestic trophy some three years after being crowned European champions.
NORTHAMPTON: Beal; Brooks, Hyndman, Leslie, Reihana; Grayson, Dawson; Smith, Thompson, Morris, Lord, Williams, Fox, Pountney, Connors.
LONDON IRISH: Mapletoft; Sackey, Burrows, Venter, Horak; Everitt, Martens; Worsley, Drotske, Hardwick, Casey, Kennedy, Gustard, Dawson, Sheasby.
Referee: Chris White (RFU).
