Hosts hang on despite late Sharks comeback
GLOUCESTER SALE 33 32
GLOUCESTER Rugby clung on for a one-point victory after Sale’s remarkable late rally came up just short in round four of the Gallagher Premiership.
An under-strength Sale looked down and out as they trailed 33-15 with just over five minutes left, but then scored three late tries.
However, replacement Tom Curtis was unable to convert the third from the touchline as the hosts eventually scraped to victory.
Sale were missing half-a-dozen of their best players, but contested throughout and outscored their opponents five tries to four.
Louis Rees-Zammit marked his return from Lions duty by scoring two tries for Gloucester, with Jack Singleton and Ben Morgan also touching down and Adam Hastings adding two conversions, two penalties and a late drop goal.
Raffi Quirke, Arron Reed, Gus Warr, Tommy Taylor and Daniel du Preez scored Sale’s tries with Kieran
Wilkinson kicking five points and Curtis two.
Sale conceded three penalties in the opening seven minutes, the last of which Hastings kicked to give his side an early lead.
Gloucester scored their first try five minutes later when Morgan finished off a driving line-out.
The penalty count was 7-0 after only 17 minutes and Sale were punished when a well-judged crossfield kick from Ben Meehan was collected by Singleton to score. The conversion from Hastings left Sale 15-0 adrift.
The home side suffered a blow when lock Andrew Davidson was forced off with an injury and they soon received a further setback when Sale opened their account with number eight Du Preez powering away to send Quirke under the posts.
However back came Gloucester to score their third try. Another line-out drive created space for Meehan to feed Harry Elrington, whose overhead pass gave Rees-Zammit a walkin. Hastings missed the conversion before Wilkinson kicked a straightforward penalty to leave his side trailing 20-10 at the interval.
Gloucester dominated early in the second half and were rewarded with a second penalty from Hastings, but against the run of play Luke James seized on a loose ball to set up a try for Reed. However, Rees-Zammit’s chip and chase saw him collect his second and secure a bonus-point.
Gloucester looked in total control as Hastings knocked over a 30-metre drop-goal, but from nowhere Sale conjured up a comeback.
Du Preez and replacements Warr and Taylor all scored tries in the last five minutes to provide a gripping finish, but Curtis missed with the last kick of the game.
Gloucester: Woodward; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Atkinson, May; Hastings, Meehan; Elrington, Singleton, Gotovtsev, Clarke, Davidson, Ackermann, Ludlow, B Morgan. Replacements: Moyle for Woodward (57), Twelvetrees for Harris (72), Chapman for Meehan (74), Rapava Ruskin for Elrington (57), Moulds for Singleton (57), Ford-Robinson for Gotovtsev (59), Alemanno for Davidson (30), Clement for Ludlow (67).
Scorers – Tries: B Morgan, Singleton, Rees-Zammit 2. Cons: Hastings 2. Pens: Hastings 2. Drop Goals: Hastings.
Sin Bin: Ackermann (80).
Sale: Hammersley; Solomona, S James, L James, Reed; Wilkinson, Quirke; Harrison, Langdon, Oosthuizen,
R Du Preez, J Du Preez, Neild, Dugdale, D Du Preez. Replacements: Roebuck for Reed (67), Curtis for Wilkinson (65), Warr for Quirke (71), McIntyre for Harrison (47), Taylor for Langdon (54), Schonert for Oosthuizen (47), Wiese for J Du Preez (60), Ross for Neild (47).
Scorers – Tries: Quirke, Reed, D Du Preez, Taylor, Warr. Cons: Wilkinson, Curtis. Pens: Wilkinson.
Referee: Christophe Ridley (RFU).