1
Bok power on display as Sale see off London Irish
By PA
Sale’s South Africa connection played a key role as the Sharks got their Gallagher Premiership campaign back on track with a 21-13 victory over London Irish.
In the first rugby match to be played in front of a crowd at Irish’s Brentford Community Stadium, tries from Rohan Janse Van Rensburg and Akker Van Der Merwe ultimately ensured the fans went home disappointed.
Having failed to see the game out at Newcastle last week, Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond will have been pleased with how his side squeezed the life out of their opponents in the second half.
They may have felt they needed to win this match twice, though, after Curtis Rona had rounded off an excellent move to bring the hosts level at 13-13 at half-time.
It was Sale who claimed the first points of the match in the 10th minute when AJ MacGinty knocked over a penalty from around 30 metres out.
The visitors did most of the attacking and they had their reward after 24 minutes thanks to some typically quick thinking from South Africa scrum-half Faf De Klerk.
The World Cup winner chose a tap penalty and quickly passed to Van Rensburg, who powered his way over. MacGinty added the conversion.
Paddy Jackson’s penalty then put the Exiles on the board, but MacGinty took the lead back out to 10 points after Rona infringed at the breakdown.
Irish again managed to get themselves back within a score through a second penalty from Jackson, but they then survived a big scare
Nick Phipps’ kick was charged down by Matt Postlethwaite and the lock stretched for the line after being tackled by the former Wallaby, but the TMO showed him to have knocked on in doing so.
The Exiles then struck off the final play of the half when Jackson made a lovely break down the right and timed his pass to give Rona a simple finish, with Jackson’s conversion levelling the score at the break.
Parity did not last long, however, as Van Der Merwe restored Sale’s lead three minutes after the restart by bundling his way over off the back of a driving maul.
MacGinty could not add the extras, but Jackson was unable to reduce the gap to two points when he sent a difficult penalty from long range wide.
Simon Hammersley came within inches of adding a third try for the Sharks when he was tackled just short out on the left, but Irish were soon penalised for offside, giving MacGinty an easy three points.
Now eight points behind, the hosts had to chase the game, but Sale’s defence did not budge an inch as the Sharks secured an away win.
Trending on RugbyPass
2
David Campese names his Springbok world player of the year winner
3
Let's be real about these All Blacks
4
Why World Cup winner doesn’t blame All Black for leaving New Zealand
5
Latest Comments
Does anyone know a way to loook at how many mins each player has played whilst on tour?
Go to commentsIt certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
Go to comments