Marland Yarde hat-trick guides Sale to big victory over Leicester
Marland Yarde scored a hat-trick as Sale moved up to second in the Premiership table following a dominant 36-3 bonus-point triumph over Leicester at a rain-soaked AJ Bell Stadium.
The Sharks benefited from facing severely weakened opponents to score three tries in the opening period through Bryn Evans, Yarde and Coenie Oosthuizen.
Geordan Murphy’s men had started the brighter and went in front via Noel Reid’s penalty, but they were comprehensively outplayed in the last hour and Yarde completed the win with two more scores in the second period.
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Leicester have endured a torrid start to the campaign and were without several key players for this encounter through injury, suspension and Six Nations duty, but they battled in the opening 20 minutes of play in Salford before eventually being overwhelmed.
Young scrum-half Jack Van Poortvliet was excellent in the early exchanges on his first start, controlling play neatly from the base, and that allowed Reid to kick the visitors in front.
Sale made a series of errors to help the Tigers but they soon began to get on top at the set-piece, which gave them plenty of opportunity inside the opposition 22. Under pressure the Tigers continually infringed at the maul and referee Ian Tempest lost patience, issuing Dan Cole a yellow card.
To their credit, the away side withstood the onslaught and appeared to have gotten through that 10 minutes without conceding, but a mistake from Van Poortvliet handed the hosts their first try when his attempted clearance was charged down and finished by Evans.
Cole returned from the sin bin but the Sharks had the momentum and constructed a nicely worked try, despite the difficult conditions. Leicester were not helped by the earlier injury to midfield leader Jaco Taute, who was forced off with an injury, and Sale took advantage.
With Murphy’s charges struggling to plug the gaps, Yarde spotted the space to scythe through from 45 metres out and touch down. Rob Du Preez converted and then added the extras to a third try as Oosthuizen crossed the whitewash from close range for a 19-3 lead at the interval.
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I think the best 15 we have is DMac. Jordan at 14.
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).
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