Sale Sharks 46 London Welsh 8

Arscott's Hat Trick Try!
By Whaley Shark
September 21 2014

As most of us will remember, the visit of London Welsh two seasons ago was the first sign of just how far off track things were in our first season at the AJB. The first couple of losses that season were dismissed as ‘Just getting going’ but when the new boys did a job on us we started to realise we really had problems. So, with two AP losses so far this season and London Welsh visiting, it could have been déja vue all over again yesterday afternoon.  

Welsh haven’t had a great start to the season so, like us, they are looking to build a bit of momentum. However, within five minutes, their hopes are dashed as the put a clearance straight into touch and we have a lineout just outside their 22. We win the lineout, spin the ball quickly out to the left and Tom Arscott has the legs to outflank the defence. 5-0; simples!

Although Welsh huffed and puffed for the next twenty minutes, and actually spent quite a lot of time in our half, their efforts went almost unrewarded, apart from a penalty. The Welsh defence cracked again following a tapped free kick on half way, which allowed us to get to the Welsh 22. In scrambling for a loose ball, Welsh conceded a penalty which Danny Cipriani put into touch ten metres out. From there it was lineout, rolling maul, and Vadim Cobilas, unstoppable from a metre out.

We battered at the London Welsh defence for the rest of the half, with some bright play from Danny Cipriani and Tom Arscott. Welsh struggled to get play out of their half as errors- a couple of knock ons, an overthrown lineout- allowed us to come back at them. Their best opportunity came when the ball went loose a few metres from their line and they hoofed it downfield. Mark Jennings, first player back to the ball and very much on his own, showed great strength and composure to stay on his feet and buy our defence the couple of seconds it needed to get back. That said, our pressure had little reward, other than a penalty shortly before half time, when Dean Schofield was sin-binned.

We picked up another penalty a few minutes after half time and, at 18-3, the game was starting to get away from Welsh, and they redoubled their efforts. Neither side really dominated though, and the next 15 minutes was scoreless. Finally, Welsh broke the deadlock, with winger Seb Jewell just sneaking over in the corner. The TMO gave it, but the stunned silence in the stadium suggested that few agreed with the decision.

Welsh errors continued to cause them problem. They cleared their lines with a penalty to touch, then threw ‘not straight’ at the lineout to give us a scrum about half way. After one phase of possession, they gave us a penalty, which we put into touch ten metres out. They held our rolling maul and were awarded a scrum, but we wheeled it to take back the put-in, whipped the ball out to Tom Arscott on the left for his second try. At 25-8 up, everyone was sniffing a try bonus, but it only materialised as Welsh ran out of puff and willpower in the last five minutes.

The first try of three in those five minutes came from a turnover on our 22, followed by a 30 metre Tom Arscott break and some slick hands, which left Tom Brady to bounce the last defender off and score. Straight from the restart, Michael Paterson broke loose and set up Tom Arscott for his hat trick try. The final play of the game gave us our sixth try as we broke from our own 22, Andrei Ostrikov tied the defence in knots and gave Luke Maclean a try under the posts. With the conversion, the final score was 46-8.

So we have our first win under our belts at last, and maybe we are now beginning to get a feel for this season’s AP. Bath are looking like one of the early season form teams, so maybe we shouldn’t feel too bad about our opening day loss. Last week’s loss, from a winning position, away at Gloucester looks less comprehensible if we have aspirations for European rugby next season. I can’t help feeling we got away with things against Welsh that sides like Saracens wouldn’t have allowed- we’ll doubtless find out next weekend- but I’d hope we’ll develop as the season goes on. And, as for London Welsh, it could be a loooong season.