Sharks cope better than Shoguns in the wet

Debut try
By Duncan Wood
November 1 2002

Bristol competed well for an hour despite a yellow card for Garath Archer. Peter Richards got a debut try to give the Shoguns hope but the Sharks eased away in the last quarter to leave Bristol with a long trip home.

The conditions weren't condusive to running rugby and both teams had difficulty maintaining possession throughout the match.

Bristol actually started well and took the game to Sale but Shane Drahm missed with first a drop goal and then a penalty attempt.

Sale took full advantage of the let off when winger Mark Cueto, strangely ignored by England, went over in the corner. Question marks had been raised about Nick Walshe's goalkicking before the game, but he added the touchline conversion.

Bristol's pack then took a grip and they came perilously close to crossing the line after 22 minutes but couldn't convert the chance.

Walshe stretched the lead with a 29th minute penalty and Bristol were 10 points down having had the lion's share of possession and territory.

To their credit, the Shoguns stuck at it and Drahm was on target with 2 late penalties to make the score 10-6 at half time.

Bristol had to get the first score and they duly obliged with another Drahm penalty but Aussie centre Graeme Bond was about to take centre stage.

He had already come close early in the second half when he was only denied by Lee Best but he tore through the Bristol defence on 49 minutes and went under the posts. Walshe's conversion made it 17-10.

Peter Richards raised hopes for the Shoguns when he went over in the corner after 57 minutes for a debut although Drahm couldn't add the extras. It was 17-14 with 23 minutes to go.

However, on the hour, Sale struck a couple of killer blows. Walshe firstly added a penalty and then Steve Hanley crossed after a neat kick ahead. It was 25-14 and the gap was too wide to claw back.

Bond rubbed salt into the wounds close to the final whistle when he dropped a goal to make the final score 28-14.

Sale move up to 3rd and end a 3 game losing streak whilst Bristol remain rooted to the bottom and the home game against Newcastle looks crucial next weekend.

Everyone connected with Bristol will be asking why a team which turns in such passionate home performances can't win on the road.