Sanderson’s best too good for Chiefs
SALE got their Gallagher Premiership title hopes back on track with an impressive victory over European champions Exeter at the AJ Bell Stadium.
Alex Sanderson’s men went into the match having suffered back-to-back defeats.
However, they moved up to third, taking advantage of Exeter hooker Jack Yeandle being sent off for connecting with the head of Curtis Langdon.
The Chiefs were 12-8 ahead thanks to tries from Facundo Cordero and Sean Lonsdale when the Chiefs were reduced to 14 men.
They battled well, however, despite Bevan Rodd responding for Sale and levelling matters at the interval.
Sam Simmonds continued his incredible try-scoring form in the second period and gave Exeter the chance of an unlikely victory.
But the pressure was unrelenting from the Sharks in the latter stages and Langdon’s try, allied to the boot of AJ MacGinty, secured the win.
Director of rugby Sanderson had experimented with his squad in the defeats to Bath and Harlequins but, against the defending champions, he went in with his best available team.
And they started well, pressurising the visiting defensive line and touching down when Faf de
Klerk took a quick tap penalty. Byron McGuigan was in support and the Scotland international did the rest for a 5-0 lead.
Back came the Chiefs, however, with a stunning score from Cordero. After a lineout had set the platform, a brilliant attack sent the Argentinian into a gap and the wing did the rest superbly, weaving his way across the whitewash.
Joe Simmonds kicked a simple conversion to move them ahead before the hosts regained their advantage through a MacGinty penalty.
Sale were conceding too many needless infringements, though, and Exeter capitalised, setting up a driving maul just outside the fivemetre line and scoring via Lonsdale.
Matters got even better for the Chiefs when Sale skipper Jono Ross was sinbinned for taking out Sam Skinner in the air, but that 14-man advantage did not last long as Yeandle was sent off. Initially, they responded well, with flyhalf Joe Simmonds kicking a three-pointer, but the Sharks’ gargantuan pack soon got to work and levelled the match at the break through Rodd’s close-range effort.
Exeter began the second period excellently and went over for the third time. Unsurprisingly, it was Sam Simmonds who scored it.
Sanderson’s men continued to press and their endeavour was rewarded as Langdon scored in a similar fashion to Simmonds by breaking off the maul and going over.
MacGinty crucially added the extras to give Sale the lead and then added a penalty to seal the win, despite late Exeter pressure.