MacGinty makes his mark as Sale face up to future without Cipriani
THE name Danny Cipriani will continue to resonate around Manchester should they start the season poorly but, on this evidence, Sale have found a more than adequate replacement.
In AJ MacGinty, a player who impressed during the previous campaign for both the USA and Connacht – where he won the Pro 12 – the Sharks have signed a fly-half who appears to fit the mould.
Like Cipriani, he is a pivot that prefers to attack the line, using sharp footwork to expose the slightest hole in the opposition rearguard, while the Irish-born player’s reliable kicking off the tee should improve on the England international’s efforts.
The only concern comes over his ability to produce the type of ‘off-the-cuff’ moments which made Sale’s previous incumbent so vital, but Sharks’ coach Pete Anglesea has been delighted with MacGinty’s contribution so far.
“I’ve been really impressed with AJ,” Anglesea said.“What he can do is kick goals and he is a great communicator.
“He can tackle and he takes the ball to the line so he’s a threat in attack, but with a skill-set that can put other people into gaps.”
Most of those skills were in evidence as the Sharks dispatched Edinburgh at Heywood Road on Friday night.The fly-half set-up the first try with a neat halfbreak and off-load to Will Addison, who finished by the right-hand post.
MacGinty converted before the Scottish outfit, a team that also had plenty to be pleased about despite being shorn of their internationals, hit back after Rory Scholes barged over out wide.
The sides then traded efforts with Jonathan Mills taking advantage of Viliami Fihaki’s yellow card to touch down before Will Helu benefited from a piece of brilliance by young centre Sasa Tofilau to level matters.
Sale went into the break 21-14 in front via Cameron Neild’s short range burst, but Edinburgh soon equalised for the third time through Stuart McInally.
That was as good as it got for the Scots as the hosts’ greater experience and physicality told in the final 30 minutes with Rob Webber and Johnny Leota both scoring driving maul tries.
However, it was the visitors who had the final word when talented youngster Blair Kinghorn scooted through a gap and crossed the whitewash, an ending to the game which indicated a positive outing according to head coach Alan Solomons.
“At the end of that match I thought the guys showed a hell of a lot of courage because we were under the pump in the second half,” he said.
“Our attacking play was really positive, but we were out-muscled and that was because it was our first game.”