Super Quirke sends message to Eddie
RAFFI Quirke will hope to make the England squad for the Autumn Internationals tomorrow after his delightful double in front of Red Rose boss Eddie Jones.
The 20-year-old scrumhalf has been handed an opportunity to shine with Faf de Klerk, Sale’s World Cup-winning South African, currently absent through injury after international duty.
Quirke opened and completed the scoring with a delightful double which ended Harlequins’ winning start to the season and had Jones nodding approvingly from the stands.
Having been called up to England’s recent training squad, making the cut for the forthcoming fixtures with Tonga, South Africa and Australia would show further backing by Jones.
Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson said: “I just can’t see why Raffi wouldn’t be in the squad and I want him to play at the highest level.
“It’s up to me to look after him because if we, and England, do that then Raffi’s got a very bright future ahead of him.
“He’ll come back better for the coaching, and the players that he will train and play with, so I want him to go and return with a boom. He’s a star in the making.”
After Sale ended a threegame winless run in the Premiership, Sanderson added: “It’s more like isn’t it? It was the eightyminute performance we’ve been after.
“We looked more like the team who finished off towards the end of last season.”
England boss Jones left Salford with much to think about after seeing England flanker Tom Curry produce a formidable display which epitomised Sale’s collective desire.
Quirke scampered through a leaden-footed Quins defence to open the scoring in the 13th minute
but Danny Care reminded Jones of his enduring class with a classic tapand-go penalty before some impish footwork took him over the line.
The Sharks lost captain Jono Ross to the sin-bin for a high shot on Tyrone Green, who then claimed Quins’ second try with a stunning break which saw him outstrip Denny Solomona and dive over in the right corner.
Right on the stroke of half-time, however, and immediately after re-entering the fray, Ross made amends for the sixth yellow card in his past 18 Premiership games by touching down from a driving maul.
At the start of the second half, disaster struck for Sale when Cobus Wiese completely missed Marcus Smith’s kick-off and the
ball ran kindly for Luke Northmore to touch down inside the left channel.
Smith could not add the conversion but he and Kieran Wilkinson traded penalties as the game continued to ebb and flow.
With Quins leading 22-20 in the final quarter, Sale pushed desperately for a match-winning score.
Wilkinson faltered with a kick at goal with ten minutes remaining, his third penalty miss of the night, but Tom Curtis entered the fray as his replacement and kept his cool to send the ball between the posts.
Quirke’s second try from close range sealed the victory, as he again showed intelligence to collect possession at a ruck and scarper over the line amid scenes of mounting euphoria in the home stands.
Tabai Matson, the Harlequins coach, could not hide his frustration at the penalty country against his men.
He said: “When you go away from home and the penalty count is 21-9, you’re always going to battle to get a bonus point.” own nickname because he’s his own man.
“I think he has every chance of being as good, if not better, than Faf.”
The result marked the champions’ first loss of the season after three straight wins. It also continued their recent wretched record at the AJ Bell Stadium on the outskirts of Salford.
Tabai Matson, the Quins coach, said: “We lacked composure because they put us under pressure when we exited and then they did a good job at the setpiece, which kept the penalty count ticking over.”