1
Red card completes Wasps' night of misery in Manchester
The Du Preez brothers scored 22 of Sale’s points as they secured an important 28-18 Gallagher Premiership win over Wasps.
ADVERTISEMENT
Despite Rob du Preez giving the Sharks an early 3-0 lead, the visitors controlled the opening quarter as Sione Vailanu’s try and Lima Sopoaga’s accuracy off the tee gave them a 10-3 advantage.
Sale hit back, though, taking a 16-10 lead into the initial stages of the second period through Daniel du Preez’s effort and three penalties from Daniel’s brother Rob.
Zach Kibirige gave Wasps hope by crossing the whitewash, while Billy Searle also added a three-pointer – but two penalties apiece from Rob Du Preez and replacement AJ MacGinty secured the win for the hosts.
Both teams like to be ambitious with the ball in hand but it was an attritional contest at the AJ Bell Stadium as the sides regularly battled for territory.
(Continue reading below…)
They traded kicks early on but it was Embrose Papier’s which proved to be the most effective as he landed it perfectly for Byron McGuigan and Daniel du Preez to counter-ruck. Wasps duly infringed and pivot Rob Du Preez took the hosts in front.
The visitors responded, however, and a brilliant cross-field kick set up an opportunity on the left for Juan de Jongh to collect. The centre then passed the ball back inside but it was deliberately knocked on by Simon Hammersley and the full-back was sin-binned.
ADVERTISEMENT
With the Sharks down to 14 men, the Coventry outfit capitalised and a brilliant driving maul, which started outside the opposition 22, was finished off by Vailanu.
The former England captain put Saracens on blast this morning at the @ChampionsCup launch
– writes @heagneyl #saracens https://t.co/1IQrhYB1oY
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 6, 2019
Sopoaga converted and then added an excellent long-range penalty as the 2017 Premiership runners-up opened up a deserved seven-point buffer. Dai Young’s men were in control but they proceeded to make a series of errors which allowed Sale to go into the break ahead.
Firstly, Jimmy Gopperth’s poor pass was intercepted by McGuigan and the wing did superbly to fend off several would-be tacklers to off-load for number eight Daniel Du Preez to score before ill-discipline crept in. Under pressure, Wasps conceded several penalties but the hosts’ fly-half could only convert one of them as the Greater Manchester team went into the interval 13-10 ahead.
After a decent end to the first 40 minutes, the Sharks began the second period well and moved further in front via the boot of their pivot. Sale were now on the front foot but it was proving to be a topsy-turvy encounter and the away side manufactured a brilliant effort to get themselves back into the contest.
ADVERTISEMENT
View this post on Instagram
Sopoaga started it before De Jongh, Nizaam Carr and Tommy Taylor combined to put Kibirige in space. The wing still had plenty to do but he did superbly to chip over the top and touch down to reduce the arrears to one point. The hosts responded well to that setback, however, and further ill-discipline from the Midlanders allowed Rob Du Preez to increase the Sharks’ buffer once more.
Searle did manage to keep Wasps in the contest but two MacGinty penalties sealed the win for Sale. There was a scrappy and concerning end to the game, though. Visiting wing Paolo Odogwu got a red card for kicking Rohan Janse Van Rensburg when collecting a high ball, while Sale lock Josh Beaumont went off with a serious-looking injury.
– Press Association
WATCH: Former Saracens player Jim Hamilton discusses the salary cap scandal surrounding his former club
Comments on RugbyPass
excellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to comments