Sale Sharks’ returning internationals inspire Sale to 39-23 victory against Leicester Tigers
A second half masterclass from Sharks’ returning internationals rewarded a hard-fought half time lead to take home five points from a must win game.
Tries from Scotland’s Arron Reed and England’s Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Luke Cowan-Dickie were the difference, adding to first half scores from Dan du Preez on his 100th appearance and Bevan Rodd. The win takes Sharks up to fifth in the table, and is a real statement of intent with six tries scored from a range of attacking platforms against the league’s best defence this season.
Despite the mixed start to the season, the set piece has held firm so Sharks were floundering on the back foot as Tigers’ scrum drew out three early penalties, providing the platform for loosehead prop Nicky Smith to burrow over the line.
Some experience was needed, then, to stem the flow and up stepped 100 cap man Dan du Preez to open Sharks’ account. Sale retained the ball from a collapsed maul and George Ford went cross field to Tom Roebuck, who beat Freddie Steward in the air before the ball was recycled for du Preez to celebrate his milestone in style.
When the scrum struggles, the lineout can be relied upon and Luke Cowan-Dickie’s impeccable throwing continued to provide a try-scoring platform; the hooker has nailed 65/66 throws this season and broke from the back of a maul to take Sharks within striking distance, before Bevan Rodd dotted down to mark his return from injury and earn Sale a 12-11 half time lead.
That ground work for the half time lead proved vital, the momentum allowing for a blistering second half start where Sale were 29-11 up by the 52nd minute mark. Reed grabbed the first two of the flurry, his first arguably Sale’s score of the season as line breaks from Rob du Preez and Luke James took Sharks from the edge of their 22 all the way over the line in just three phases.
His second was much simpler, a walk in from more good maul platform before Asher Opoku-Fordjour showed his now famous dynamism to pick and go from 20 out for his first ever senior try and Sale’s bonus point score.
Tigers were able to grapple a foothold when Olly Cracknell intercepted on his own line to set up a Freddie Steward score, but with momentum swinging, Sharks relied once more on their maul and it was only right that Cowan-Dickie was the beneficiary when he broke early to score from range.
