I’m getting ulcers with stress says Sanderson
SALE are proving to be this season’s entertainers and this was another thriller at Sixways.
Three quick tries in 11 minutes late on saw Sale overturn Worcester, who had led until the final quarter of an hour and were looking for their first win since the opening day of the season.
Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson said: “Bringing on the replacements made a difference and that’s what its been like for the last 14 weeks, a squad effort. You need those players coming in to keep that intensity.
“There was no lack of spirit but we made it very hard for ourselves with a lack of discipline in the first-half and a soft defence in the second.
“Recent weeks have been brutal, I’ve got more grey hairs and I’m developing stomach ulcers with the stress of it.
“It would be nice to not have to scrap it out every week but knowing that we’ve got extra in the tank is comforting.”
Despite nine changes from their narrow win over Gloucester, Sharks looked potent from the start as they waded through the blue-and-gold shirts.
But Warriors defence held firm and after Sale flyhalf AJ MacGinty, starting in place of the suspended Rob du Preez, had missed a penalty Jamie Shillcock gave Worcester the lead with a 44-metre beauty.
The full-back extended the lead when academy product Fin Smith whipped the ball wide and Shillcock chipped over Arron Reed before
running in at the corner to score.
Sale grabbed one back, getting deep through Worcester’s ill-discipline before a few quick phases from a lineout allowed centre Connor Doherty to dot down. Reed was sinbinned for a deliberate knock-on in the final play of the first-half.
Worcester extended their lead shortly after half-time. Tom Curry was pinged at the breakdown and Warriors attacked quickly from a lineout with several fast phases before wing Alex Hearle seized the ball, took out Simon Hammersley and opened up Sharks for Francois Hougaard to dot down his first.
Sharks bit back immediately with a couple of quick phases. Sam James found Byron McGuigan and the winger got the better of Tom Howe to dive over in the corner.
Worcester were unlucky not to extend their lead just before the hour-mark; a cross-field pass bounced the wrong way for Howe, and then centre Ollie Lawrence looked to have powered over three defenders, but the TMO highlighted a double movement.
Sale started to put the pressure on and a quicklytaken lineout unleashed an outstanding first-phase move, with MacGinty opening up space for skipper Tom Curry to break through and his sweet back-hand offload inside allowed Reed to score his third try in four games as Sharks took the lead.
Tighthead Coenie Oosthuizen powered over Howe by the posts to extend their advantage – but Worcester fought back.
Hougaard was again in the centre of the action, and played a one-two with Howe before dotting down his second.
Dan du Preez drove off a five-metre restart to score for Sharks before Hougaard completed his hat-trick and sealed a try bonus-point for Worcester.
His try came after replacement Harri Doel had made 45 metres and linked up with Shillock who offloaded to former Bok Hougaard for the final score.