Sale Sharks 17 Worcester Warriors 3

By Whaley Shark
April 3 2010

Ah- a relegation 8-pointer. Clichéd perhaps, but oh so true of last night’s bottom of the table scrap against Worcester. We husbanded our resources last weekend, and consequently took a hammering at London Irish. So was it worth it? The Whaley Shark tried to ignore the vague sick feeling and settled down with his notebook……

We started quite well, setting up camp in the opposition half from the off, something we have not been able to do much this season. Charlie kicked an early penalty to touch and set up a lineout 10 metres out. Although Worcester resisted that attack, they conceded another kickable penalty at a lineout a few minutes later, but Charlie put it wide. Worcester then built some sustained pressure on us, grinding their way into the 22. Good defence kept them out, Wiggy nicked a floated pass and shot off down the field, but he put a foot in touch. Worcester built pressure again and eventually we conceded a penalty which fell short, allowing Cuets to belt it into touch on the half way line.

Most of the play was in the middle third of the pitch for the next 10 minutes, until Mark Cueto found touch on the Worcester 22. We pinched the lineout, ran the ball and Worcester infringed to set up a short range penalty. At last, 28 minutes in, we had our noses in front. We dealt with the restart well, with Wiggy’s box kick trapping a Worcester defender between the touchline and an onrushing Mark Cueto, who promptly bundled him into touch. Charlie made a half break from the lineout, Matt Tait scorched round the outside of a flat-footed defender and slid the ball to Lee Thomas on his right, but we lost the ball and Worcester scrambled it into touch. We won the lineout and Charlie dropped a goal to edge us further ahead.

At the restart we did exactly the same Wiggy box kick/rampaging Cueto trick as three minutes before, with the same result. However, this time we conceded a penalty and allowed Worcester to clear to the half way line. They retained possession, made progress and set up a penalty on our 10 m line, but put it wide. Worcester kept the pressure on as Charlie put a touch kick straight out, but eventually they passed the ball into touch. We won the lineout, Wiggy made a break to the Worcester 10 metre line and, after several phases, Charlie dropped another goal for 9-0. The first half then fizzled out in a heavy rain shower and an optimistic long range drop goal attempt from Lee Thomas.

Inevitably, Worcester fought back after half time. They exerted sustained pressure on us and only a last ditch Charlie tackle kept them out. Eventually, they had a chance to kick a penalty and Walker converted to get Warriors off the mark. The two sides then swapped blow for blow, Charlie missed a penalty and, shortly after, got one to extend our lead. A few minutes later, we stole a Worcester linout on our own 10 metre line, Matt Tait broke through, Neil Briggs took his pass and fed Mark Cueto, who crossed on the right. Charlie missed the conversion, but 17-3 up with 67 minutes gone, we started to look like we’d make it.

Worcester didn’t lie down though, and fought tooth and claw for the bonus point. After a long period camped in our 22, they went over in the corner but, after an eternity, the try was disallowed by the TV match official. A mighty shove at the resulting 5 metre scrum disrupted Worcester’s ball and we hacked it up the field. We tried to wrap the ball up in the forwards and run the clock down, but conceded a penalty. Worcester kicked it to touch on our 22, but we pinched the lineout and cleared to touch. With time running out, Worcester threw a forward pass and the final whistle blew.

Well, that was a big, big win for us. It gives us a breathing space, though we are far from safe. We built the win on committed defence and doing a lot of the basics- lineout, restarts, scrum- solidly. Worcester were committed and never gave up, but we just wanted the win a bit more, and the returning Cueto and Tait perhaps just gave us a fraction more cutting edge than we have had in the last few weeks. Given the tension of the occasion, the quality of the play from both sides was remarkably good and, although the game wasn’t a classic, it was tense, absorbing, good stuff. My man of the match, Tait for some massive tackles and always threatening in attack, just ahead of Mark Cueto, and with honourable mentions for Briggs and Wigglesworth.