Red-hot Curry cooks up a victory for Sale
WASPS STUNG BY BEN
BEN CURRY proved too hot for Wasps to handle as Sale leapfrogged them into third spot in the Premiership and got their season back on track.
Flanker Curry, 22, whose twin brother and World Cup finalist Tom was rested, won the battle of the breakdown against another England hopeful, Jack Willis, at the Ricoh Arena.
Wasps suffered their first defeat since the lockdown was lifted while the Sharks won their first game since the restart.
Steve Diamond’s side proved they have their mojo back with a huge game against Bristol on Saturday at the AJ Bell. There was a massive defensive performance from Sale centres Connor Doherty and Rohan Janse van Rensburg, with the back row, led by Curry, also manning the barricades.
Director of rugby Diamond said: “He is a good leader and a quiet man but anyone who has been watching him knows he is one of the best back-row forwards in the country.
“He has not had the recognition off England but I am sure that will come. He was outstanding tonight.”
Wasps conceded 19 penalties as their scrum went to pot, and head coach Lee Blackett said: “It was our discipline. We got on the wrong side of the referee.”
Sale won despite giving a pile of first teamers the night off. Curry, below, said: “Our depth has been questioned but the lads who came in did the club proud. This was great for morale.”
Eddie Jones was in the stands but the England coach must have wondered why he bothered after a first half that finished with Sale 9-6 up.
It was not pretty but the visitors kept the scoreboard ticking over thanks to the boot of fly-half AJ MacGinty, who made the most of his share of yet another ridiculous penalty count, which had reached 20 after 40 minutes.
Sale had lost to Harlequins and Exeter and were clinging to a top-four spot but they manned up in the Midlands.
Wasps centre Jimmy Gopperth kept his side in range with a couple of three-pointers before the break but MacGinty’s fourth kept the hosts at arm’s length.
Then came the killer blow, with Curry involved twice in a move that ended with full-back Luke James scoring in the corner with two defenders in tow.
Sale wobbled when No8 Jono Ross was binned for obstruction with four minutes left and Wasps’ Tom Cruse had a try chalked off by the TMO. Willis went over just before the death but it was too late forWasps.