SHARKS BITE: Harlequins 26 - 31 Sale

A virtually full strength Sale premiership side overcame Harlequins’ youngsters 26 – 31 despite a valiant effort on the part of what was effectively the A team. This second defeat almost certainly ended any chance that Harlequins could repeat last year’s winning of the LV= Cup

Sale did not have matters all their own way and the young Quins gave an excellent account of themselves despite the result.  If the early exchanges showed traces of the previous week’s inaccuracies, judgment might be reserved following a superb break by Charlie Walker whose pass found Botica in support to touch down by the posts.  The fly half added the extras to open a seven point lead.

This was the signal for a series of excellent attacks that were met by determined and committed defence and Quins were unable to add to the score. Indeed, it was the visitors who found their attacking abilities and produced an overlap on the right wing to leave the way open for Seymour to score the try. Macleod’s conversion levelled the scores.  A penalty for a failure to roll away in the tackle allowed Macleod to put Sale into the lead 7 – 10 after twenty-three minutes.

A penalty allowed Sale to find touch on the five metre line and their determined attack was eventually rewarded by a yellow card for Luke Wallace for killing the ball close to the line. The loss of the flanker eventually left a gap in the defensive line and Sale again created an overlap for Rob Miller to score a try that Macleod improved to give Sale a ten point lead. There was time for one final Quins attack that produced a penalty successfully kicked by Botica to make the score 10 – 17 at half-time.

Despite another early penalty goal that reduced the arrears, Sale mounted further pressure from a series of penalties that produced good field position and ultimately an attacking lineout about ten metres from the Quins’ line. A powerful maul drove over and Gaskell scored the visitors’ third try.  The conversion brought the score to 13 – 24.

Harlequins’ response was to mount another attack.  A quickly taken tap penalty was the start of a stunning move that eventually saw Charlie Walker break clear to score.  Botica added the extras. A series of determined attack brought a yellow card shown to a Sale player and gave Botica another kick that reduced the deficit to a single point.

With just over fifteen minutes remaining Quins redoubled their effort, straining for victory. But it was the visitors that scored with a move from a scrum inside the Quins’ twenty-two that saw Cipriani force his way over for a fourth Sale try duly converted.

Harlequins efforts produced another penalty to bring the score to 26 – 31, but staunch defence held Quins at bay until the final whistle.