Matchday Live

MATCH REPORT

A resolute Sale Sharks open thier Champions Cup account and avenge an opening round defeat to Glasgow Warriors with a bonus point win against Racing 92.

Sharks have looked back to their defensive best since Byron McGuigan’s promotion to defence coach over the international break, and this was a good demonstration on their increased physicality as an all-star Racing side were restricted to just one try.

Speaking after their 39-25 win over Leicester Tigers in McGuigan’s first Premiership game in the role, head coach Alex Sanderson said:

“I truly feel if you know you’ve got it in the back pocket to defend, from wherever, whenever, then it frees you up in attack”.

The second half in particular saw Racing starved of territory, whilst Sharks were clinical throughout to score through Jean-Luc du Preez, Tom Roebuck, Joe Carpenter, and Ben Curry.

Alongside five points in the Champions Cup, Sale preserve their home winning run dating back to January this year, and will be pleased to have defied a rare off-day in the lineout with solid aerial work and ball retention.

It was 15 minutes of staunch Sharks defence that preceded Jean-Luc du Preez’s opener, the flanker himself amongst a catalogue of forwards stopping Racing before the gainline before he burrowed over from a pick and go.

Increased territory led to the second try, Roebuck and Tom O’Flaherty working well in aerial battles to establish an attacking scrum. A set play then saw a classic Rob du Preez and George Ford combination to put Joe Carpenter in space, before he released Roebuck out wide to score.

Stuart Lancaster’s men were able to pull one back on the stroke of half time, however, a destructive Cameron Woki carry providing Guram Gogichashvili with the platform to score to take the score to 12-7.

Denying the visitors momentum, Sharks continued to front up physically, forcing Racing to take the kick option before Roebuck leapt in world class fashion to pluck the ball down, race clear and pass inside to set up Carpenter’s try.

The all-important bonus point followed ten minutes later when skipper Ben Curry scored a pick and go, making the most of a yellow card to his opposite man Maxime Baudonne for collapsing a maul.

POST MATCH REACTION

Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson: “We just wanted to be on it for longer defensively this week. I think we were, that was one of our best defensive performances.

“We are a little more connected and we have a little more bite to us when the collision comes, when we have to ‘find the monster’. We were lacking some bite, and I feel like we have it back.”

Player of the match Ben Curry: “My favourite moment was Tom Roebuck’s tackle on Henry Arundell. Henry is not a small boy, a great player, but I was very impressed with Roebuck tonight, he showed a different side of him which perhaps coaches have questioned. I was really happy for him.

“The work he puts in day in and day out doesn’t get seen. He is knocking on the door.

“He was very disappointed after the summer – he came on against Japan and played really well and to get dropped, hit him really hard.

“You can start feeling sorry for yourself or you can show people what you can do. He has gone multiple steps forward since the summer.”

LINE-UPS

Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, R du Preez, James, O’Flaherty; Ford, Warr; Rodd, Cowan-Dickie, Harper, Bamber, Hill, JL du Preez, B Curry (capt), D du Preez.

Replacements: McElroy, McIntyre, John, Beaumont, Dugdale, Quirke, Nayacalevu, Wills.

Racing 92: Tedder, Arundell, James, Chavancy, Spring; Lancaster, Le Garrec; Gogichashvili, Chat, Sordoni, Kpoku, Rowlands, Woki (capt), Baudonne, Dayimani.

Replacements: Escobar, Julien, Kharaishvili, Sanconnie, Diallo, Le Bail, Gibert, Naituvi.

Referee: Craig Evans (Wal)

By Tom Jeffries