Twelvetrees sneaks it for Gloucester
The home team outscored the visitors by two tries to one.
Flyhalf AJ MacGinty scored a try, a conversion and three penalties for Dale.
Wing David Halaifonua and scrumhalf Ben Vellacott scored Gloucester's tries – with Twelvetrees kicking two conversions and those two penalties to take his team from 14-16 down to victory.
Sale raced into a 6-0 lead inside 20 minutes when MacGinty successfully kicked two penalties and it looked good for Steve Diamond’s side.
But the hosts hit back with a try from Halaifonua which was successfully converted by Twelvetrees, but with half-time approaching MacGinty scored his third penalty to give Sale a narrow lead at the break.
Gloucester was back in front shortly after the break when scrum half Vellacott went over for a opportunists try, as he pounced on a ball that’s ripped out of one of his forwards’ hands and went over to score. which again was converted by Twelvetrees.
But in this topsy-turvy encounter, Sale was ahead again when MacGinty went over for a try and then successfully converted his effort.
But at a blustery Kingsholm, Twelvetrees was able to read the wind and successfully stepped up with two late penalties to put Gloucester ahead again, but this time it would not be overturned as the home side held on to win and end 2017 on a high.
The scorers:
For Gloucester:
Tries: Halaifonua, Vellacott
Cons: Twelvetrees 2
Pens: Twelvetrees 2
For Sale Sharks:
Try: MacGinty
Con: MacGinty
Pens: MacGinty 3
Teams:
Gloucester: 15 Tom Marshall, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Billy Twelvetrees, 12 Andy Symons, 11 David Halaifonua, 10 Billy Burns, 9 Ben Vellacott, 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Lewis Ludlow, 6 Ruan Ackermann, 5 Jeremy Thrush, 4 Tom Savage (captain), 3 John Afoa, 2 James Hanson, 1 Josh Hohneck.
Replacements: 16 Richard Hibbard, 17 Cameron Orr, 18 Fraser Balmain, 19 Ed Slater, 20 Freddie Clarke, 21 Callum Braley, 22 Henry Trinder, 23 Jason Woodward.
Sale: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Denny Solomona, 13 Sam James, 12 Rohan Janse Van Rensburg, 11 Byron McGuigan, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Josh Strauss, 7 Ben Curry, 6 Jono Ross, 5 Andrei Ostrikov, 4 Bryn Evans, 3 WillGriff John, 2 Rob Webber, 1 Ross Harrison.
Replacements: 16 Marc Jones, 17 James Flynn, 18 Halani Aulika, 19 George Nott, 20 Cameron Neild, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Mike Haley, 23 Marland Yarde.
Referee: Andrew Jackson
Assistant referees: Jack Makepeace & Jonathan Healy
TMO: Sean Davey
Source: @premrugby
