Connacht in charge to add to Sale’s woe
Connacht ................ 15 Sale Sharks ............ 5
SALE Sharks suffered their second consecutive preseason loss at the hands of Connacht who outscored them three tries to one.
Connacht set up early camp in the Sale 22 and got an ideal start when Conor Oliver bulldozed over from close range in the fourth minute.
Early season rustiness told as an uneasy stalemate broke out with the two sides trading penalties.
Connacht had a rare foray forward. Kieran Marmion sniped brilliantly around the ruck, he was followed through the gap by Peter Dooley and Gavin Thornbury who carried, offloaded and recycled five metres out.
Fitzgerald then found academy wing Josh O’Connor who battled over on his first senior appearance to make it 10-0 for the Westerners at the break.
The intensity ratcheted up after the turnaround but the scrappiness persisted.
Marmion and Fitzgerald carried well and cajoled their back line throughout.
Former All Black centre Malakai Fekitoa came off the bench to make his debut for the province at half-time. Up front, Connacht established their maul even as they emptied their bench.
It would provide the platform for Marmion to dot down in the corner midway through the second only for John Porch’s pass to be ruled forward.
Points were scarce despite Connacht’s growing dominance as Fitzgerald sought touch at every penalty opportunity. The tactic was eventually rewarded when another kick to the corner was capitalised on.
Sub hooker Eoin De Buitléar threw to the middle, joined at the back and re-emerged at the bottom of the maul with the ball touched down.
After shipping 57 in Castres on Wednesday with an admittedly different XV, a shutout would nonetheless have been welcomed for Andy Friend’s Connacht.
Alas, it wasn’t to be as Sale’s replacement hooker Tommy Taylor responded to his counterpart as Sale pushed over from close distance.
It was a reward for their industry but Connacht’s craft carried the day and they will take encouragement from a win over an established Premiership side.