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Falcons fend off Sale comeback to edge thriller
By Harry West
Newcastle Falcons climbed into the Premiership's play-off places on the back of an exhilarating 35-30 victory at home to Sale Sharks on Friday.
Both sides came into this meeting at Kingston Park just outside the top four, and it was the Falcons who narrowly prevailed in a thrilling encounter which saw the lead change hands four times in the second period.
Newcastle ran in five tries and their maximum haul sees them move three points above Wasps and Leicester Tigers into third, although those two sides are both in action on home soil on Saturday.
It looked as though it would be a procession as Newcastle secured the bonus point by racing into a 25-0 lead inside half an hour.
Calum Green was first to score and Gary Graham - back after a neck injury suffered in England training in February - marked his return with a try. Simon Hammersley made it 20-0 and the fourth was not long in coming as hooker Scott Lawson picked up and piled over.
That score came even with Newcastle a man light due to Will Welch's yellow, but if the Falcons thought they had sunk the Sharks they were sorely mistaken as Ben Curry pounced on a loose ball, which prompted a prolonged bout of fisticuffs, before Marland Yarde surged over.
Two AJ MacGinty penalties reduced the gap to five after the interval and Sale were sensationally in front on the hour as Sam James brilliantly fed brother Luke, who set Yarde free for his second.
Joel Hodgson and MacGinty traded kicks as the pendulum swung back and forth but ultimately Newcastle had the final say as Rob Vickers burrowed over with two minutes remaining to leave Sale's playoff hopes looking slim.
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That’s why we threw that game against you in the pool stages by playing Libbok at 10 who couldn’t split the uprights for love or money.
Go to commentsSo sad and sorry to hear yesterday about Alex Wyllies passing. When I first went to Lancaster Park , Grizz was the captain and no8. A fearsome legend. His time coaching Canterbury 1982-86 , was one of the highlights of my life. 82-85 , was Canterbury’s record equalling Ranfurly Shield era, culminating in the “Match of the Century” , when we lost it to Auckland . I was at that game and the rest, it was one for the ages. Inspired by Grizz Canterbury nearly won it, after being 24-0 down. In 1986 Canterbury thrashed the touring Wallabies, who went on to beat the All Blacks 2-1 in that test series.Alex Wyllie inspired 2 of the players who were huge parts of his Shield team, to become great coaches in there own right. They are of course , Wayne Smith and Robbie Deans . Canterbury /Crusaders and international legends. Robbie Deans was the goal kicking hero on many occasion in that era, none more than when he kicked the equalizing penalty against Counties in the first up Shield challenge, a game I was at. As with the rest of those games. Wayne Smith scored the try to claim the Shield in Wellington a week earlier It was a pleasure to meet Grizz on a number of occasions. Rest in peace Grizz. A red and black legend , first class. He was also an All Black and one of our greatest AB coaches.
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