We showed fight roars triumphant Ackermann
JOHAN Ackermann and his players celebrated like wild men after a dramatic finale saw Gloucester open their Premiership campaign in thrilling fashion.
The Cherry and Whites finished third last season and, on the evidence of their impressive secondhalf fightback, further progress can be expected.
Sale led 13-0 early in the second half but Gloucester hit back with tries from centre Mark Atkinson and winger Tom Marshall.
There was still time for late drama as Sale’s South African fly-half Rob du Preez’s penalty goal right at the death rebounded off a post before Gloucester kicked the ball to safety.
Ackermann, who expressed sympathy for his fellow countryman, leapt in the air with his players and backroom staff when the final whistle sounded.
He said: “I was so pleased. Sale are a quality side and this is a tough place to come, so you have to enjoy it and celebrate it.
“All I can ask of the players is for them to show a lot of fight and that’s what I saw. Even at half-time, I said ‘boys, I love the fight’ and we showed a lot of character out there.”
Opposite number Steve Diamond was left frustrated and said: “I thought in the first half we had control and probably should have gone in a little further in front.
“But fair play to Gloucester, they came to do a job and they did it. They got their noses in front and we couldn’t get it back.”
Brothers Rob, Dan and Jean-Luc du Preez started a Premiership game together for the first time while prop Jamal-Ford Robinson and scrum-half Joe Simpson
made their first league starts for Gloucester.
Sale led in the 16th minute when prop Aker van der Merwe embarked on a driving run before producing a deft offload which sent Byron McGuigan under the posts.
Rob du Preez added the conversion and then kicked a fine long-range penalty to make it 10-0.
Sale thought they had registered their second try before half-time when Chris Ashton dived over in the right corner but Simpson made a vital intervention to deny him. Rob du Preez booted another penalty in the 49th minute to extend the hosts' lead but Gloucester were soon off the mark when Danny Cipriani’s clever chip found Marshall and he offloaded to Jason Woodward.
Woodard was hauled down just short of Sale’s line by Ashton but offloaded out of the tackle to Atkinson who burst over from close range.
Twelvetrees added the conversion to make it 13-7 and Gloucester soon scored again when Cipriani’s fine long pass found Woodward advancing at pace inside the right channel and his offload sent Marshall racing over in the corner.
A penalty from Twelvetrees put the visitors 15-13 ahead but Rob du Preez’s three-pointer restored Sale’s lead at 16-15 before Twelvetrees’ boot put Gloucester back in front at 18-16.
Then came the late drama as Rob du Preez’s penalty hit the woodwork as Gloucester, who had Freddie Clarke sin-binned late on for a deliberate knock-on, held on in dramatic fashion.