Sale Sharks pushed to the limit in Sixways thriller
Sale Sharks survived a major test of their Gallagher Premiership play-off credentials before subduing struggling Worcester 35-32 in a Sixways thriller.
Worcester, seven points adrift at the Premiership basement before kick-off, led until 13 minutes from time but Sale stayed third above Harlequins following a powerful finish that produced tries for wing Arron Reed, replacement prop Coenie Oosthuizen and number eight Dan du Preez.
It meant that the Sharks secured a bonus point following earlier touchdowns from centre Connor Doherty and wing Byron McGuigan, while fly-half AJ MacGinty kicked four conversions and Kieran Wilkinson one.
Worcester ultimately slipped to a 14th successive league defeat – they have not recorded a Premiership victory since November – but pushed Sale all the way through scrum-half Francois Hougaard’s try hat-trick and claimed two bonus points.
Full-back Jamie Shillcock also crossed – a brilliant solo effort from inside his own half – and he kicked two penalties and three conversions for a 17-point haul, with Sale forced into sustained defence during added time.
Worcester flanker Sam Lewis returned to action after three months out because of a shoulder injury, while fit-again wing Tom Howe also featured as the Warriors targeted a rare Premiership win.
Sale boss Alex Sanderson made nine changes following a narrow victory over Gloucester last time out, handing opportunities to the likes of Doherty and prop Bevan Rodd in a team captained by England flanker Tom Curry.
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A scoreless opening 15 minutes featured both sides probing for openings to no avail, and Worcester went ahead through a long-range Shillcock penalty after MacGinty missed the target with his opening strike.
Shillcock was back in the action five minutes later and this time it saw him conjure a stunning try.
Warriors’ teenage fly-half Fin Smith kicked out of his own 22 to wing Alex Hearle, who then threw a speculative pass, but Shillcock set off on a touchline sprint, chased his own kick ahead and then regathered ahead of Reed’s challenge to finish majestically.
Shillcock’s second successful penalty opened up an 11-point lead that belied a huge league table gap between the teams, and Sale needed a response as half-time approached.
Unsurprisingly, Sale opted to go through their forwards, setting up strong attacking foundations, and MacGinty’s neat pass sent Doherty over for a try that the fly-half converted.
But Sale could not build on that score and Worcester ended the first half with a degree of control.
Their cause was helped by a yellow card for Reed, who deliberately knocked on to halt a Worcester attack, although Shillcock drifted the resulting penalty chance narrowly wide.
An 11-7 interval lead, though, fairly reflected Worcester’s performance and Sale had plenty of food for thought during the interval.
Worcester had to make their temporary one-man advantage count and it took them just four minutes of the second period to deliver. Smith, as he had been with Warriors’ opening try, was heavily involved, this time gathering a bouncing ball before surging into Sale’s 22 and sending Hougaard over for a well-worked score.
Shillcock added the extras yet Sale hit back strongly, working space in the corner for McGuigan to claim his team’s second touchdown with MacGinty adding a touchline conversion.
But Worcester were not knocked out of their stride, and further pressure almost brought its reward when Warriors’ England centre Ollie Lawrence stretched out for the line. Referee Christophe Ridley, though, ruled out the try after consulting with his television match official David Grashoff, and Sale cleared.
And the Sharks went ahead 13 minutes from time after Curry was freed in space and showed a blistering turn of speed before finding Reed with an exquisite inside pass as Sale went ahead for the first time.
MacGinty’s conversion put Worcester three points behind, and Oosthuizen extended the lead. Hougaard hit back, and did so again after Du Preez’s score, but the Warriors could not reclaim the lead despite throwing everything at Sale during the closing minutes.
Comments on RugbyPass
The rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
69 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent 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.
2 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 comments