Sharks take honours in Battle of the North
SALE warmed up for Sunday’s Champions Cup quarter-final against Racing 92 with a bonus-point win which kept their flickering Premiership play-off hopes alive.
Alex Sanderson’s side have endured a disappointing domestic campaign and had lost their previous three games on home soil in all competitions.
After this five-try success, though, the Sharks will head to Paris with renewed belief that they can defy the odds and reach the semi-finals of Europe’s elite competition.
Director of rugby Sanderson said: “We were preserving ourselves for next week – we didn’t talk about it but it’s always there, subconsciously.
“In terms of the playoffs, we’re relying on other teams losing but all we can do is win our last two games.”
Sale were boosted by the return of Ben and Tom Curry after injury, with the former starting in the back row and the latter coming off the bench in the second half.
Ben Curry enjoyed a fine game at openside and weighed in with a crucial try which swung the game in the hosts’ favour.
Sale had billed the match as ‘The Battle of the North’ and Dean Richards’ men fully played their part in an entertaining first half which saw both sides score two tries apiece.
Richards, who is expected to stand down as director of rugby at the end of the season, saw his side lead 15-14 at the interval.
Richards said: “It’s about how you apply yourself and a lot of the boys really did that.
“It was played at a real pace at times, and we did well to come back and take the lead just before halftime. We were never going to roll over and die.”
Newcastle led in the eighth minute when hooker George McGuigan again displayed his predainside
tory instinct by emerging from a maul to barrel over the line in the left corner.
Joel Hodgson’s conversion attempt flew wide and Sale fashioned an impressive response which saw their own hooker, Aker van der Merwe, dive over in the right corner.
Rob du Preez’s touchline conversion put the hosts ahead but Newcastle scored again when winger Adam Radwan made a fine break and offloaded to Alex Tait, who was denied from close range.
The Falcons quickly recycled possession and quick hands led to Hodgson dashing over
the left channel. Hodgson converted but Sale struck again before the interval when van der Merwe dived over to score his second try.
Du Preez converted again but Hodgson added a penalty to make it 15-14 at half-time.
Newcastle were not helped in the second half by injuries to Ben Stevenson, who came off at half-time with a head knock, and prop Kyle Cooper, who was helped off the field in clear discomfort early in the second half and will be assessed.
In the 42nd minute, Ben Curry dived over the try
line from close range but Newcastle notched their third try moments later when winger Mateo Carreras scored in the left corner.
Former Newcastle fullback Simon Hammersley came off the bench to score Sale’s fourth try and despite Rohan Janse van Rensberg’s yellow card for a head on head tackle on Carl Fearns, fellow replacement Ewan Ashman added a fifth home score in the final quarter.
Newcastle had the final say in the last minute when Matias Orlando went over to secure a losing bonus point.