Langdon grabs winning try for Sale after Yeandle is dismissed
Curtis Langdon proved there were no ill effects from the challenge which saw Exeter captain Jack Yeandle sent off as the Sale hooker scored a second-half match-winning try.
A week after the Premiership saw five dismissals over a round of fixtures, Yeandle was shown a red card in the 26th minute after his shoulder connected with Langdon’s head as he cleared out a ruck.
Although Sam Simmonds’ 12th Premiership try of the season put Exeter ahead early in the second half, Langdon showed impressive strength to engineer a route over the line in the 67th minute to settle matters. Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson said: “Curtis has got better and better and took his try really well. He told me in the week there was more in him and he showed that tonight. I’m really chuffed for him.”
Exeter counterpart Rob Baxter said of Yeandle’s dismissal: “We were told it was a shoulder to the head and I can’t say I’ve got any complaints.”
Sale conjured a delightful early opener when Faf de Klerk’s exquisite pass sent Byron Mcguigan over the line in the right corner.
Yet if that was pleasing on the eye, it was nothing compared to the quite brilliant try which Exeter scored four minutes later through Facundo Cordero, who showed remarkable speed to dash through a clutch of home defenders before diving under the posts.
Exeter claimed a second try in the 23rd minute through lock Sean Lonsdale following a well-worked lineout and powerful maul. In the 25th minute, Sale captain Jono Ross was shown a yellow card by referee Karl Dickson after tackling Sam Skinner in the air before Yeandle was sent off moments later.
As the interval approached, Sale’s promising young loosehead prop Bevan Rodd powered over the line from close range with assistance from Daniel du Preez.
It was the Sale academy graduate’s first try for the club but, nine minutes into the second, Simmonds was on hand to sneak down the blindside from a maul and over.
Incessant Sale pressure led to Langdon bursting over in the left channel to secure the win.