Wales star injured as Gloucester beat Sale in front of Borthwick

Gloucester took a sizeable step towards Champions Cup qualification for next season after beating Gallagher Prem opponents Sale 21-15 at Kingsholm.

A top-eight league finish will secure that target, with Gloucester and Harlequins effectively battling it out for the final spot.

And following victory over play-off contenders Exeter last time out, George Skivington’s team backed up that success by wiping out a 12-0 deficit through tries from wing Ben Loader and fly-half Charlie Atkinson, with full-back George Barton kicking two conversions.

But it took Atkinson’s second score three minutes from time to finally subdue Sale, before Barton maintained his 100 per cent success rate with the boot.

Touchdowns by hooker Alfie Longstaff and wing Tom O’Flaherty, plus one George Ford conversion, had put Sale in charge until Gloucester stirred and then proceeded to dominate in terms of possession and territory, although Ford’s 74th-minute drop goal ensured a frantic finish.

Fixture

Gallagher Premiership

Gloucester

21 - 15

Full-time

Sale

All Stats and Data

England head coach Steve Borthwick looked on as Sale surged into an eighth-minute lead after a flowing move that ended with wing Tom Roebuck providing a superbly timed scoring pass to Longstaff, who finished impressively.

Gloucester took a while to establish any pattern or fluency, and their cause was not helped by lock Mattias Alemanno knocking on over Sale’s line following impressive approach work by wing Will Joseph.

They remained within striking range, but poor composure let Sale off the hook before another unforced error cost them dear in the 24th minute.

Gloucester looked to attack from halfway, yet possession was spilled in a tackle and former Exeter speedster O’Flaherty took his opportunity and sprinted over unopposed before Ford converted for a 12-point lead.

O’Flaherty almost scored again midway through the second quarter after he again burst into space, yet Gloucester had just enough defensive numbers to stop him short of the line and deny Sale a third try.

Gloucester needed something before half-time, and it duly arrived courtesy of a powerful finish from Loader as Sale’s defence was finally breached, with Barton converting to make it 12-7 at the interval.

The home side suffered an injury blow just three minutes after the restart when their captain and Wales international scrum-half Tomos Williams was forced off, but they responded impressively to that setback.

Gloucester pinned Sale inside their own 22 for a number of attacking phases, and that pressure eventually told when the impressive Atkinson weaved his way over and Barton’s conversion left Sale in arrears for the first time.

The Sharks continued to find themselves in rearguard mode, and Gloucester could only rue another missed chance on the hour-mark as lock Arthur Clark’s breakaway score was disallowed following a forward pass.

Gloucester had precious little breathing space in terms of the scoreboard, and Ford then dropped a long-range goal, restoring chances of an away victory.

But Sale could not close the deal, and Atkinson’s second try gave Gloucester the win they deserved, even if for the most part it was much harder work than they would have liked.