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Sale win at Gloucester to maintain pressure at the top
Sale maintained second place in the Premiership and moved four points behind Exeter after beating Gloucester 23-17 at Kingsholm.
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For fading Gloucester, though, it was a fourth successive league defeat and they have not won in the competition since toppling Bath eight weeks ago.
Sale’s wet-weather game in miserable conditions served them well as they gained an impressive victory through tries from centre Luke James, lock Bryn Evans and wing Marland Yarde, with fly-half Rob du Preez kicking two penalties and a conversion.
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Prop Fraser Balmain and centre Billy Twelvetrees touched down for Gloucester, while the latter added a penalty and two conversions.
But the Sharks were not to be denied, making it four wins from their last five Premiership matches and strengthening title play-off hopes.
Gloucester’s Wales Six Nations squad member Louis Rees-Zammit was sidelined by illness, so Tom Seabrook replaced him on the wing.
Sale showed three changes from the side that crushed Leicester last time out, with Rees-Zammit’s Wales colleague – prop WillGriff John – and flanker Ben Curry among those starting.
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Gloucester ran out with the words “Be Kind” printed across the back of their shirts as part of the club’s campaign to raise awareness of mental health in partnership with the Samaritans.
Fly-half Danny Cipriani had helped drive the mental health initiative after the death of his ex-partner Caroline Flack.
Seriously fast for a 6'6, 110kg + lock. @leinsterrugby have another star on their overflowing books in Ryan Baird. https://t.co/jqp40U0fv2
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 28, 2020
Cipriani was heavily involved in Gloucester’s early attacking moments, chasing a kick that prompted some frantic Sale defending, and then looking to free his outside backs through a cleverly placed kick.
Sale then had the game’s first scoring opportunity, but Du Preez saw an angled penalty bounce back off the post and Gloucester cleared possession.
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But Sale gained a flurry of penalties that meant Gloucester were pinned inside their own 22, and Du Preez took advantage to kick a 27th-minute opener and edge the Sharks ahead.
Twelvetrees, with the wind at his back, attempted a 50-metre penalty that hit the post, but Sale responded by scoring the game’s opening try five minutes before half-time.
A speculative Sale kick deflected off Gloucester flanker Ruan Ackermann and, after the ball rolled into Gloucester’s 22, James won the touchdown race.
Du Preez converted to open up a 10-point advantage, and Gloucester could not threaten the lead as they were left facing a testing second period with the elements not in their favour.
But Sale had no intention of loosening their grip, and they went further in front from an attacking line-out that ended with Evans touching down.
A successful Twelvetrees penalty got Gloucester off and running, and there was more to come 11 minutes later after Sale had prop John sin-binned for collapsing a maul.
He had barely left the pitch before Gloucester made him pay, launching a ferocious surge by their forwards that Balmain drove over Sale’s line.
Twelvetrees converted, but just when Sale appeared threatened, they struck for a third try.
Cipriani tried to move the ball out from near his 22, yet a slip and fumble gifted Yarde a chance to pounce, and he duly delivered by sprinting over unopposed.
It was a savage blow for Gloucester entering the final quarter, but they replied just four minutes later with a second try that was awarded following lengthy debate between referee Wayne Barnes and television match official Rowan Kitt.
Initial checks were for a knock-on by Gloucester substitute Matt Banahan and, after that was given a green light, they also checked for Twelvetrees’ grounding and whether or not he was offside.
But the try was given, with Twelvetrees’ conversion cutting the deficit to just three points, only for a second Du Preez penalty to restore an element of control for Sale with seven minutes left, and Gloucester could find no way back.
– Press Association
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Comments on RugbyPass
Absolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
5 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments