Victorious Sharks on the move
Sun, 04 May 2008 18:55
Sale Sharks moved into the top three on the Guinness Premiership standings after an impressive 23-16 victory over fellow play-off hopefuls Harlequins at the Stoop on Sunday.
Not only did the Sharks move past Quins and London Wasps in the standings, but they are now just 80 minutes away from the play-offs and Heineken Cup qualification.
Their home game against London Irish next week is already being branded as 'the biggest game of rugby at Edgeley Park since the Premiership semi-final win over Wasps in May 2006.
Quite simply, if the Sharks win they will not only finish in the top four, but Heineken Cup rugby will return in 2008-2009.
The team overcame all odds with the win at Harlequins, players patched up with injuries and at one point the Sharks were down to 13 men with two players in the sin bin.
Sale, who went down 0-11 in the first 21 minutes, then had to withstand a fierce Quins onslaught during the time that Andrew Sheridan and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe spent in the sin bin.
Sheridan was sent to the sin-bin for punching and Argentina openside flank Fernandez Lobbe for pulling down a maul.
While the Sharks now have their play-off destiny in their own hands, Quins' play-off hopes are hanging by a thread. However, Quins - who finished with a potentially crucial bonus point - stayed alive after top-four rivals Leicester and Wasps also lost on Sunday.
Quins raced into an early lead - with wing Tom Williams scoring a try in the fifth minute and Adrian Jarvis adding penalty kicks in the 13th and 21st minutes to move 11 points clear.
The opening try came after Ugo Monye produced a beautiful touchfinder. Quins stole the ball at the line-out, before spreading it wide where fullback Mike Brown delivered the scoring pass to Williams.
However, once the Sharks' fearsome pack had settled they were comprehensively outmuscled.
The Sharks, who had been in Quins' 22 just once in the first quarter. However, they finally breached the whitewash in the 26th minute, with Chris Jones doing the damage with a well-timed run through midfield.
The England lock made hard work of the finish with just fullback Mike Brown to beat, but Richard Wigglesworth was on hand to complete the move.
Charlie Hodgson converted and Quins' woes continued when hooker Tani Fuga was stretchered off and replaced by Chris Brooker following a heavy collision.
Hodgson added a penalty in the 30th minute to make it 10-11 and then Sharks hit the front five minutes later - when excellent work from Sebastian Chabal in the tight led to a half-chance down the right, which wing Andy Vilk exploited with a fine finish.
Hodgson added the conversion and another penalty just before the break to give his team a 20-11 half-time lead.
Sale remained in full control as the match approached the final quarter, with Hodgson landing another penalty in the 50th minute to reflect their superiority on the scoreboard (23-11).
When Sheridan was sent to the sin-bin, referee Dave Pearson was forced to order uncontested scrums.
Quins suddenly launched waves of attacks and when Sharks openside flank Fernandez Lobbe was show a yellow card for his professional foul, they were stretched to the limit.
The home pack surged forward and Danny Care spotted space down the right, darting free and touching down.
But Quins could not add to the score, as Sale closed out the match in expert fashion.
The scorers:
For Harlequins
Tries: Williams, Care
Pens: Jarvis 2
For Sale Sharks:
Tries: Wigglesworth, Vilk
Cons: Hodgson 2
Pens: Hodgson 3
Yellow cards: Andrew Sheridan (Sale Sharks, 60 - foul play, punching), Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Sale Sharks, 63 - professional foul, pulling down maul)
The teams:
Harlequins: 15 Mike Brown, 14 David Strettle, 13 Ugo Monye, 12 Tosh Masson, 11 Tom Williams,, 10 Adrian Jarvis, 9 Danny Care, 8 Tom Guest, 7 Will Skinner (c), 6 Chris Robshaw, 5 George Robson, 4 James Percival, 3 Mike Ross, 2 Tani Fuga, 1 Ceri Jones.
Replacements: 16 Chris Brooker, 17 John Brooks, 18 Jim Evans, 19 Nick Easter, 20 Steven So'oialo, 21 Chris Malone, 22 De Wet Barry.
Sale Sharks: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Selorm Kuadey, 13 Chris Bell, 12 Luke McAlister, 11 Andy Vilk, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Sebastien Chabal, 7 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 6 Jason White (captain), 5 Brent Cockbain, 4 Chris Jones, 3 Stuart Turner, 2 Sebastien Bruno, 1 Andrew Sheridan.
Replacements: 16 Neil Briggs, 17 Eifion Roberts, 18 Sean Cox, 19 Dean Schofield, 20 Michael Hills, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Matt
Riley.
Referee: Dave Pearson
Touch judges: Peter Huckle, Ken Stewart
TMO: Bob Ockenden
