SHARK BAIT
Sale boss: Now semi-final revenge looking VERY tasty...
SALE boss Alex Sanderson was fuming after his Sharks lost their bite, let Exeter off the hook and blew the chance of a home semi-final.
Sharks had Exeter on the ropes at 19-3 just after the break and knew that a bonus-point win – while denying their hosts a point – would see them playing at the AJ Bell next Saturday for their next clash with Chiefs, in the Premiership play-off semi-final.
But this was the one that got away as Exeter bounced back to snatch the game – and home advantage against Sale – despite having lock Sam Skinner red carded (below) after 53 minutes for a high shot on Faf De Klerk.
Tries from Luke CowanDickie and replacement Stu Townsend, and Joe Simmonds’ 70th-minute penalty nailed it.
And even worse, Sharks might have to play the semifinal without fly-half AJ MacGinty who destroyed the
Chiefs for a half-and-a-bit, having a hand in three tries.
He went off on a stretcher very late on with a knee injury. Sale also lost hooker Akker van der Merwe and flanker Cameron Neild early and they could now be struggling to make the last-four fixture.
Sanderson (below) said: “I feel like we blew it. That is a game we should have won.
“Our set-piece was not good enough in terms of execution and discipline.
“It is a juicy prospect coming back here knowing how we let ourselves down.
“We lost three legends today and we don’t want their efforts go to waste. None of them are walking.” Exeter Chiefs boss Rob
Baxter said: “We were a team that was transformed by a red card.
“It shows that when we have nowhere to go and we have to stand and fight we are a bloody good side. Next week is do-ordie.”
MacGinty put wing Byron McGuigan away with a long pass after a minute and on 21 minutes he ghosted inside Henry Slade for the second.
Just after the break the American kicked into the path of wing Arron Reed and Sharks had a 16-point buffer.
Then Skinner was carded and Exeter came alive. eXeteR: Tries: Cowan-Dickie, Townsend; Cons: J Simmonds 2; Pens: J Simmonds 2 saLe: Tries: McGuigan, MacGinty, Reed; Cons: MacGinty 2