Gloucester lost focus, says boss Skivington

GEORGE Skivington believes his Gloucester Rugby side performed better prior to opponents Sale Sharks being reduced to 14 men as the Cherry & Whites were beaten in the Gallagher Premiership.

Sale’s win condemned the men from Kingsholm to their 12th defeat of the league season.

Skivington said: “The lads were bringing the physicality, the lads were organised and I think (Sale) losing a player actually knocked us off our stride.

“We started playing a little bit differently to what we set out to do. We probably tried to get to that third phase before we had run the first and second.

“I was disappointed with how we managed it. I thought the effort and physicality was there, I thought the two defences went toe-to-toe, but in the end they managed it better than us.”

The Greater Manchester outfit had Rob du Preez sent off in the first half for a tip-tackle on Val Rapava-Ruskin, but they showed tremendous spirit to secure a vital 25-22 triumph.

Faf de Klerk, Arron Reed and Marland Yarde all touched down for the Sharks, while AJ MacGinty came onto the field to kick eight points, including the gamewinning penalty.

Gloucester’s tries came through

SALE SHARKS ................. 25 GLOUCESTER RUGBY ... 22

Jonny May, Santiago Carreras and Willi Heinz, while Billy Twelvetrees kicked two conversions and George Barton land a penalty.

Following the disappointment of their defeat to La Rochelle in the Champions Cup last weekend and the issues caused by Du Preez’s red card, Sale could have folded but boss Alex Sanderson was pleased with the response of the players.

He added: “It’s not just the red, it’s all that’s gone before so, when you put it into that context, look at how deep they dug. I couldn’t be prouder of that group of lads, I’m so privileged to be a part of it.”

Sale: L James; Reed, S James, van Rensburg, Yarde; R Du Preez, F de Klerk; Harrison, van der Merwe, Oosthuizen, Wiese, JP Du Preez, JL Du Preez, T Curry, D Du Preez. Replacements: MacGinty for Reed (27), Hammersley for van Rensburg (63), Morozov for Harrison (65), Langdon for van der Merwe (57), Harper for Oosthuizen (65), Neild for du Preez (53). Not Used: Phillips, Cliff.

Scorers – Tries: F de Klerk, Reed, Yarde. Cons: R Du Preez, MacGinty. Pens: MacGinty 2.

Sent Off: R Du Preez (23).

Gloucester: Carreras; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, May; Barton, Chapman; Rapava Ruskin, Singleton, Balmain, Slater, Craig, Clement, Ludlow, Ackermann. Replacements: Moyle for Carreras (67), Twelvetrees for Barton (37), Heinz for Chapman (43), Seville for Rapava Ruskin (63), Walker for Singleton (65), Ford-Robinson for Balmain (65), Garvey for Craig (75), B Morgan for Clement (57).

Scorers – Tries: May, Carreras, Heinz. Cons: Twelvetrees 2. Pens: Barton.

Referee: Adam Leal (RFU).