Harlequins 22 - 23 Sale

By Shark in Norfolk
May 19 2005

And so to the end of another season (well, not the end, there's still the play-offs and the wildcard). Five teams could potentially be relegated, three teams vying for third place and first v second going on elsewhere. For Quins it was fairly simple: win. But Sale needed one too...

Well, what a day 30 April turned out to be – Sky billed it as Judgement Day, and at the end of the matches it was indeed Harlequins for whom the bell tolled. For much of the match at the Stoop Memorial Ground, it seemed Harlequins would escape from the Last Chance Saloon and have the last laugh on those who predicted their demise. Sale rolled into town with a repositioned back division and their lineout missing from the suitcase, but somehow managed to claim a match in the fashion that they had lost several – last gasp scores and holding the opposition out. Of course, young Mr Staunton helped a little with his final penalty miss, but the problems for Quins cannot be laid at his door.

One does not expect a team with the history of Quins to disappear from top-flight rugby without giving it something, but the question was what had they to give and when would they give it? They had failed to fire all season and at Headingly last Tuesday they had seemed blissfully unaware of the gravity of their situation – at least that was the impression their style of play gave.

So, it was mild surprise when, within five minutes of the start, Staunton sold Sale, (was it Cueto?) a fine dummy and crossed on the way to a converted try. In some ways, the first five minutes set the tone for the first half, with Sale unable to string anything together, bar odd moments, and the referee taking a keen interest in front-row matters, Sheridan being penalised at the first scrum for not binding. The try was preceded by Cueto being forced into touch and quick lineout ball sending the Quins through two phases to the try-line.

For much of the first half, Sale seemed to be on the wrong side of the referees whistle. Bruno had a shocking day at the set-piece department of his office, or the lifters and jumpers were listening to another call, and Diprose wrought havoc at many lineouts, costing Sale possession and position. At the 11 minute mark, the most bizarre piece of officiating since Kaplan took place when, after a penalty kicked to the corners, Quins took the lineout, and mauled across the line. They awarded the try on the grounds that the ref couldn’t see a reason not to. I have noted discussion along the lines of he saw the ball grounded and was simply checking that there was not transgression just before. However, on the big screen and on the tape I have from Sky, I struggled to see a ball at all and certainly could not see it grounded. Anyway, the try was given which was a call and a half. The score stayed 12 – 0, Staunton missing the two points. Sale have overcome bigger deficits than this over the season, so ‘don’t panic Mr Mainwaring’. Edited to re-activate message board.

It was the 17^th minute before Sale strung anything of note together, and on their first visit to the Quins 22 they helped themselves to seven points. The lineout finally worked, with Sea Bass taking and a maul being set-up. The maul was not the best and a moment of confusion was only rescued by Sheridan getting hold of the ball and setting up a ruck. Redpath sent the ball across to Charlie, who sent it right of pitch to Robinson, playing at outside centre for the day. JR got caught and Redpath sent some quick ball to Sea Bass who exchanged compliments with a couple of Quins players before a good offload to Lobbe to his left. Lobbe played a clever pass back inside to JR who sent a high long pass left to Hanley, one of a number of Sale players who could have scored. Hanley went over and Charlie nailed the conversion.

Just into the second quarter, Quins were pinged for hands in the ruck and Charlie brought the score up to 12 –10. Just as Sale seemed to be taking control, some excellent passages of play from Harlequins were rewarded with a try from their full back, who had taken an excellent line to collect an offload out of the tackle. He went under the post, the conversion being successful and the score up to 19 – 10. That was the last of the glory for Quins, who only managed 3 points in the second half. Sale only looked like scoring once more, when Sea Bass went on the rampage, picking up from the base of the scrum and scattering potential assailants. Resolute Quins defence ensured no score resulted.

Come the second half, the men of Sale showed that patience is indeed a virtue as they efficiently reeled Quins in. The Quins captain, Andre Vos, conceded a penalty, Charlie took 3 points. Ten minutes into the half, Quins scored their final points of the afternoon leaving the score at 22 –13. The build-up to involved Titterrell’s backside being shown on TV, but rumours that this is the reason for the penalty are entirely without substance.

The second half seemed destined to continue as a demonstration of poor set-piece work. Titterell certainly improved the lineout work, but not without errors. School boy knock-ons seemed to blunt attacks and some of Charlie’s kicks failed to find touch. As the game edged towards the final quarter, a decent Sale attack was stopped by some foolish use of the shoulder on the part of Quins, and Charlie took the three points to bring Sale within a converted try of victory. Around the same time, the phenomenon that is Chabal left the field in some discomfort, and Lund took his place. The pattern of events reverted to the mistakes, dodgy lineouts and almost completely non-threatening play.

Until the 66 minute. He-who-should-be-a-lion popped up in the line to receive a long pass from Hodgson, who had got the ball from Redpath at the back of the scrum. Frank took on he-who-for-some-reason-is-a-lion and showed a clean pair of heels. He then went on a little run to the line, leaving the full back and others behind, to go in under the post. The conversion went over, 22 – 23 and Sale looked to have it. Cueto’s next effort was to take an excellent ‘mark’ under pressure and clear. This was not enough to keep danger from the door, and in the 73^rd minute (Sky time) Staunton positioned the ball on the tee to try for three points as a Sale tackler had been judged not to have rolled away. As I sat behind the goal for which Staunton aimed, I had an odd sense of generosity. Maybe if it had gone over it would have been justice as Quins had really battled. I felt strangely relaxed. He couldn’t miss, they would retake the lead and given Sale’s performance then, and at the end of games in general, Sale were not likely to pull it back. He seemed to strike it well and from my seat, it seemed to go over. Except, as we know, it didn’t. And that, largely speaking, was that. Harlequins were down.

The media have reported a stadium in complete silence, as fans took the reality in. I think that must have been a different stadium. It wasn’t the one I was at. Sure, there were fans who were in tears, indeed there were some very emotional Quins players. There were fans and players who sat in silence. There were also a hell of a lot of fans who ran onto the pitch the moment the whistle blew, to get autographs, to get photos, to kick goals. The pitch was full and it certainly wasn’t all Sale supporters. The party atmosphere was strangely incongruent with the nature of the event, but a party atmosphere it was.

I went to the match hoping to see the Sale that beat Connacht. Tries from every direction, fifty points on the board and Quins sent convincingly on their way. Maybe I had been swayed by the media speculation, maybe it was just a passionate dislike of the mediocre rugby Harlequins have produced week after week this season, and their alleged efforts to secure themselves off the pitch rather than on it. In the end, there was no elation. No voyeurism. No Schadenfreude. Sale had won, got third place and a semi-final match, and more importantly HC qualification. All with a European Challenge Cup final still to play. Harlequins had fallen from grace. It was a fact, but not one that anyone should laugh at or delight in. It is worth bearing in mind that Harlequins were last years European Challenge Cup winners. The world of rugby can turn around very quickly indeed, in these professional times. PSA and Kingsley Jones have done good things with Sale this year, and things look good for next year. Hopefully PSA will be almost satisfied with the kitchen and look to planning the garden, particularly for international periods and Sale will go from strength to strength. In the meantime, there is the business of Wasps, hopefully Leicester thereafter and the European Challenge Cup final.

Even now, a few days afterwards, I struggle to pick my man-of-the-match. I think Chabal probably did it for me, swatting defenders off like troublesome insects and making a fair few metres. Charlie missed touch a couple of times, but otherwise seemed right back on form. Robinson does not seem to operate to his best in the traffic of midfield, but his defence seemed good and he chased for a couple of good tackles. All in all, not the best of performances, but the result was just what was needed for Sale’s aspirations and they got it. Good luck next week lads.