Sale Snaffle a Bargain

Unable to watch the match as it unfolded live, I am reduced to watching the recording whilst already knowing the result and the reasons for it.  It is all very dispiriting.    The two sides, well clear at the top of the premiership, meet each other in what should be a showcase of the best that England professional rugby has to offer.  Instead, we get two sides shorn of their England contingent and far too many others side-lined by injury.

There is no point in pretending that it was a classic game either; those had been played earlier during the weekend.  At Bristol, Charles Piutau’s masterclass had been worth the admission money on its own, and even the most one-eyed Saints supporter would agree that they had seen some utterly brilliant moments from one of the world’s best players of recent times. The Tigers had set about their traditional late-season charge for the play-offs, simply destroying the game plan of a physically beaten-up and season-long straggling Bath side.  The Marcus Smith had justified the reason for 60,000 spectators attending the Quins big annual festival game, although that game was made less appealing by the worst Exeter performance of recent years.

Sale taking on the visiting Saracens would a have been pressed to rank as one of the three most spectator-worthy games of the weekend, which is quite something when only five games were played 

Both teams were actually stronger than might have been expected.  Sale have that solid group, mostly called du Preez, who are not caught up in the Six Nations, whilst Sarries could call on players who are not required for international duty but who are stand-out players in the Premiership.  The backs division of Goode, Maitland, Lozowski, Tompkins and Lewington is certainly not to be taken lightly, whilst a back and second row that includes Billy Vunipola, Tizard and Isiekwe can scarcely be called lightweight.

The game began well for Sarries.  Sale kicked off, and immediately gave up a penalty for falling over the ball.  For the next five minutes or so, Sale saw nothing but the ball moving among the Sarries players, all 15 contributing to multi-phase, penetrating play, almost error-free. Inevitably, the period ended with a holding-on penalty in front of the posts, giving the easiest of three-pointers.  The next several minutes saw more even possession, with much movement to and fro, largely between the two ten-metre lines, but it was noticeable that Sale tended to launch to try a line-break after only one or two phases, whilst Sarries played a more patient build-up towards launching their attacks.  The period was punctuated with a player going off his feet, almost under his posts during a pressing Sarries attack.  A second easy three-pointer.

On 20 minutes, Sarries’ forwards worked the ball well among themselves close to the Sale line, drawing in the defence to cover holes that were beginning to appear as Sale forwards needed to cover for each other as recovery from each defensive action took more time than it took Sarries to re-cycle or pass.  Inevitably, this all ended with a fast transfer from the forwards in the left to the backs, where Maitland drew one necessary defender as well as the second, who should have stayed to cover Lewington.  The apparent two-on-two had become a one-on-one, with an easy run in to take the score to 0-11, the wide-out try being unconverted.  At this stage the TV statisticians pointed out that in 20 minutes, Sale had tried 80 tackles, of which ten had not worked.  Sarries had needed to put in 36, all successful.

With a nice lead developing, Sarries would strike again within six minutes.  Sale conceded a penalty under pressure, the kick went well into the corner, from where Theo Dan was to take a hooker’s try, again not converted.

Sale had a chance to attack, but Theo Dan was able to tackle, strip the ball and initiate another short phase play.  This had been Sale’s sixth handling error in 30 minutes. Not surprising really that these various statistics had delivered what looked like a comfortable ten minutes to see out the half with two tries and two penalties scored, to nil.  Too easy for the Sarries’ tendency to want to deliver last-minute thrillers.  A Sale attack, the dangerous and very quick O’Flaherty takes the ball up the left touch-line, chips Alex Goode, who tries that accidental obstruction that indicates when a full-back knows he is well-beaten.  Ball into touch, and would have gone without the obstruction, so Alex’s nailed-on yellow card is totally needlessly earned.  Sale come to life, take the line-out after the penalty and score, 7-16.  Sarries get three back from the re-start, with Sale holding -on after the catch. 

On 36 minutes, a stupid, unnecessary penalty reversal for back-chat, Sale attack, and on 40 minutes three Sale players flood through the hole where Alex would have been, to score on the stroke of half-time.  I do not know who was in the caravan (ed Claire Hodnett!), but the TMO’s call that there was nothing to prevent awarding the try was clearly, unequivocally wrong.  The pass that put O’Flaherty away had begun several metres short of the Sarries 22 metre line and was caught several metres beyond it.  We all want quick decisions, but they have to be better than this.  Professional sport cannot be left to decision-taking that is so obviously game-decidingly wrong.  14-19 at half-time.

Sale began the second half as they had ended the first. Penalty, kick to the corner, fast line-out, ball fast wide and an easy run in for Carpenter to take the third Sale try of the game.  21-19, Sale take the lead for the first time. 

Scarcely five minutes later, they have the fourth, a Goode free-kick when Sale launch an attacking scrum too early, but too casually taken and touched enough in flight to keep the ball in play.  Very quick reaction sees the ball passed fast across the pitch to where the defence has not adapted to the ball’s mis-flight.  28-19 and Sale are seemingly out of reach, mentally and on the score-board.  However, There is a small chance of reprieve when a penalty, line-out, drive and score sequence brings the more bearable look, 28-24 to the score-board.

With just over ten to go, replacement prop Hislop attempts that no-no of the modern game, an upright head-contact tackle, and leaves the game.  Sale don’t score, and indeed Sarries find themselves with a line-out that would be close enough to look for a score.  Referee Foley has twice warned Sarries about having board meetings that delay the line-out, and on this third occasion, he turns the line-out into a free kick, happily taken by Sale.  A good chance to re-take the lead has gone.

All is not lost, but on 78 minutes, Nick Tompkins, frustrated, enters into a discussion with Mr Foley.  Penalty, an excellent kick deep into Sarries 22, Line-out, a bit of siege-time on the Sarries line, try for Jean Luc du Preez.  35-24.  Within the space of six minutes, Sarries have turned the possibility of a win, or the real prospect of a highly significant LBP into a trip home with nothing to show for their day.

Knowing all along, as I watched, how this game was to end, I spent time looking at individual players and their contributions.   For me Theo Dan represents the sort of exciting possibility that was always engendered when a very young Jamie George took to the field.  We knew than, and can perhaps think now, that we are seeing an emerging multi-capped international player. Rotimi Segun is one who causes people to sit up and take notice whenever he takes the ball.  He is so quick, strong and agile that he demands the attention of any defender within several metres of his taking the ball, but still manages to make ground, create opportunities for those around him.  Eduardo Bello is, as was obvious he would be, a clever signing as an experienced international prop, approaching the peak of his game.  However, I do have some concern about the resources at 15 and 10.  Alex Goode approaches age 35, and whilst Owen Farrell is a mere 31, other names are either adapting from other positions or are not yet ready to take on such important roles in the heat of the Premiership, let alone Europe.  Obviously, the coaching group know more about all this than any of the supporters, but I shall be relieved when Sarries can field a pair, fit for challenging in Europe, with combined ages slightly lower than sixty.

Match details

Scores: 0-3 Goode pen, 0-6 Goode pen, 0-11 Lewington try, 0-16 Dan try, 5-16 Carpenter try, 7-16 R Du Preez con, 7-19 M Vunipola pen, 12-19 James try, 14-19 R Du Preez con, 19-19 Carpenter try, 21-19 R Du Preez con, 26-19 Ross try, 28-19 R Du Preez con, 28-24 Pifeleti try, 33-24 JL Du Preez, 35-24 R Du Preez con
Sale Sharks: J Carpenter; T Roebuck, S James, R Mills, O’Flaherty; R du Preez, G Warr (R Quirke 50); B Rodd (S McIntyre 50), E Ashman (T Taylor, 50), C Oosthuizen (N Schonert 50), C Wiese, J Hill, J Ross (J Beaumont 76), S Dugdale, JL du Preez.
Saracens: A Goode; S Maitland, A Lozowski (O Hartley 66), N Tompkins, A Lewington; M Vunipola (R Segun 68), A Davies (I Van Zyl 55); E Mawi (R Hislop 55), T Dan (K Pifeleti 58), A Clarey (E Bello 55), N Isiekwe (C Boon 75), H Tizard, T Ellis, A Christie, B Vunipola
Referee: T Foley (RFU) 
Attendance: 10,136