Alex Sanderson sheds light on half time message in Sale's comeback win

Alex Sanderson could not hide his delight after Sale ended a run of four straight Prem Rugby defeats by hammering fellow strugglers Harlequins 43-17 in a thumping bonus-point win.

Quins led 17-12 at the break through tries from Marcus Smith and Jack Walker but Sale, who scored through Alex Wills and Luke Cowan-Dickie in the first half, ran riot after the interval.

Jacques Vermeulen scored twice in quick succession to seal the bonus point and Rekeiti Ma’asi-White, Raffi Quirke and Nathan Jibulu also touched down as Sale ran in 31 unanswered second-half points.

Director of rugby Sanderson said: “I just thought we were physically brilliant all game.

“We were down on the scoreboard at half-time but that didn’t represent the physical dominance we had in that first half.

“It was a case of ‘more of the same, please’ and sometimes the plan just comes together, so I couldn’t be prouder of the lads.

“We desperately needed the win but could I have seen that second half coming? Not the scoreline. It blew out but I thought we were good value for the win.

“Even though we were 17-12 down at half-time, the lads stuck at it and they got their reward.”

Earlier this week, Sanderson and his players met with Sale’s owners following the team’s recent dismal run of form.

Having finally returned to winning ways in the league, Sanderson reflected: “It was a good day in the office and a good way to end the year.

“It was just one performance but we need to back it up at Bristol now.”

Harlequins, meanwhile, have now lost six of their eight league games this season and their play-off hopes are already beginning to fade.

The Londoners’ senior coach Jason Gilmore cut a frustrated figure as his side lost again, having been beaten 40-14 against Bristol Bears at the Allianz Stadium, Twickenham last weekend.

Gilmore said: “It’s really disappointing – it was almost a reversal of last week (against Bristol) where we were really poor in the first half and fought back in the second half.

“Here we just couldn’t get going in the second half and Sale did a really good job aerially and maul-wise against us.

“We couldn’t get any flow or outside our 22, but Sale played to their strengths and muscled up.

“When it turns into an arm wrestle, that’s what we’re not handling at the moment. The boys will be licking their wounds a bit.”