Scrappy Sharks keep play-off hopes alive
SALE Sharks won in Coventry for the fourth time in succession to end Wasps’ impressive run of eight consecutive home wins.
The victory all but secured Sale a place in next season’s European Cup and also kept alive their slim hopes of a Premiership play-off spot but a number of results have to go their way if they are to succeed.
Their director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, said: “It’s great to secure a European spot but we should be aiming for the top four and contesting trophies and championships.
“We should have put that game to bed far earlier than we did but in those last ten minutes we showed great character in keeping our line intact and that’s particularly pleasing, especially when a number of boys will be leaving.”
Sale are a most frustrating team in that they continually fail to kill off sides whom they have dominated for large parts.
Their impressive forward power is often too much for the opposition but that superiority rarely transfers into points.
Over the years, they have signed an array of marquee wings, Denny Solomona, Marland Yarde and Josh Charnley among others, but seem incapable of utilising their try-scoring ability.
This game was a prime example as Wasps took a battering in the scrums, with Lood de Jager dominating the lineout and Tom Curry omnipresent.
Scrum-half Faf de Klerk ran the show but that’s where it ended as lack of flair allowed Wasps to remain in the game far longer than they had any right to.
It was a miserable night for the hosts as they failed to produce one highlight to mark the departure of some of their leading lights.
After 155 games, Jimmy Gopperth joins Leicester but he missed two vital shots with fellow departee, Malakai Fekitoa, also making no impression.
A serious injury to Elliot Stooke and two careless yellow cards didn’t help and they now face the daunting prospect of a trip to Leicester when points are needed if Wasps are to qualify for Europe’s premier tournament.
Wasps suffered an early blow when Dan Robson was yellow carded for a deliberate knockdown but Sale couldn’t capitalise as Curry knocked on with the try-line beckoning.
A couple of penalties allowed the home side to relieve the pressure before they picked up their only try when Gabriel Oghre finished off a driving lineout with Sale’s skipper, Jono Ross, sin-binned for dragging it down.
Robert du Preez then kicked two penalties in quick succession with Gopperth missing from long distance to leave Wasps with a 7-6 lead at the end of a featureless first half.
The opening to the second was marred by a serious leg injury to Stooke, with Wasps’ woes continuing when Alfie Barbeary was yellow carded for a deliberate knock-on. Sale immediately benefitted when hooker Akker van der Merwe crashed over from close range.
Wasps infringed again at a scrum for Du Preez to kick his third penalty before the hosts built up their best period of pressure.
However, the Sale defence held firm with Gopperth missing a crucial long range penalty which would have given his side a valuable bonuspoint.
Wasps DoR Lee Blackett said: “There wasn’t a load of opportunities out there, we had a few but we weren’t clinical enough to take them.”
nine points from penalties at the scrum and made too many mistakes.” England centre Manu Tuilagi was substituted at half-time but his boss, Alex Sanderson, confirmed there was no need for concern. “We know Manu so well and know how to handle his condition. It wasn’t a pre-planned substitution as he reported a slight knee strain so we need to be cautious as we want him to go on the England trip and then be available for the World Cup.”