Another Gloucester game!

Gloaws action
By Sarah
May 31 2002

Another game against Gloucester. Feel like we've been here before? Well this is the fourth time the teams have met this season and with both sides already having qualified for the Heineken Cup, pride is the main thing at stake.

But since we knocked Gloucester out of the Parker Pen Shield in the semi-finals, and pushed them down to third place in the league in the last few weeks of the season, this might be considered somewhat of a grudge match for them.

Despite our silverware and league placing, Gloucester have already beaten us twice this season and would like to make it three wins. They had a rest last weekend and should now able to field the same team that took Newcastle apart 60-9 a fortnight ago.

We also have a fully fit squad with the only Mel Deane missing after travelling to Ireland to meet up with the international squad. It would be great to have a trip to Twickenham this year but after the euphoria of last weekend, I sense that most Sale fans are not overly bothered about the play-offs. So the match doesn't seem too important at the moment but I wonder if, with hindsight, it will go down in history as beng the last game to be played by Sale Sharks at Heywood Road? Until Sale tell us something conclusive about whether we are changing name, and whether we are moving stadium this summer, we will have to keep guessing.

A narrow majority of voters in the site poll reckoned that Sale would win the game this weekend. And what about the 41% who thought Gloucester would win? Were they all Gloucester fans or are there Sale fans out there whjo genuinely think we'll be too worn out after the Shield final?

Question: Predictions for the fourth Gloucester game of the season?
Another win makes it 2-2 56%
A loss makes it 3-1 41%
Don't know 3%

Sale squad: Jason Robinson, Mark Cueto, Dan Harris, Martin Shaw, Vaughan Going, Jos Baxendell, Steve Hanley, Charlie Hodgson, Alan Dickens, Bryan Redpath, Kevin Yates, Barrie Stewart, Stuart Turner, Charl Marais, Andy Titterrell, Richard Wilks, Apollo Perelini, Scott Lines, Chris Jones,Alex Sanderson, PeterAnglesea and Stuart Pinkerton.

Gloucester squad: H Paul, D O'Leary, T Fanolua, R Todd, J Simpson-Daniel, T Beim, C Catling, A Gomarsall, D Yachvili, P Collazo, O Azam, P Vickery (cpt), R Fidler, E Pearce, J Forrester, J Boer, J Paramore, C Fortey, T Woodman, A Deacon, K Sewabu, C Gillies.

Kick off Sunday 1.45pm