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Match Report: Sale vs Harlequins


By Bedfordshire Boy
April 26 2015

Eventually set off at 0945 for the 170 mile trip to Salford not feeling particularly confident of Quins coming away with many league points for a days work. Lots of warnings about potential traffic problems which luckily did not materialise so had time to stop off for a comfort break on the M6 toll road where there was a coach load of coffee drinking travellers wearing quartered shirts milling around. 

Was a bit wet on arrival and parked up at the local business airport with an hour and a half to spare before kick off. Time to make my entry onto the CAW Prediction league, had a funny five minutes and decided to plump for a 21 - 25 score line based mainly on hope rather than analysis. 
My heart sank when I got to the ground to find that Joe Marler had withdrawn from the squad; the pairing of a weak looking Quins front row and Mr Wayne Barnes is not a good combination especially coupled with the lumps fronting up for Sale. At least there was no more rain and the sun came out although there was a pretty strong cold wind blowing. 

Quins started off pretty lively and showed their intent to attack at every opportunity with some good line breaks and offloading. The first points of the day went to Quins after a charge down by Sloane led to Charlie Walker cleverly gathering the ball to get over the line in the corner, no additional points from Nev. Actually, the interception by Harry Sloan was not a typical charge down but more the case of a very low trajectory kick out of defence by Sale. 

Nearly 10 minutes before the first scrum, the moment of truth, great shove by Sale but Quins managed to hang onto the ball. Sale putting together some phases of play followed by an amusing moment when Barnes saw something, spoke to the TMO and then marched right up to the other end of the stadium to watch the video replay only for nothing to be shown. Quins still struggling at the set piece but just about managing to keep the right side of the referee. Finally some points on the board for Sale, penalty Cipriani. Sale looking stronger and stronger but Quins win another retreating ball in the scrum and Care gets the ball and kicks down field and finds touch on the Sale 22. From the resulting line out a Cussiter box kick is charged down by Easter who gathers the ball, passes to Care who puts Chris Robshaw in for a try, this time Nev adds the points, score 3 - 12. 

Quins still running the ball at every opportunity and some good offloads puts Marland Yarde through for a very well worked try but again Nev misses with the kick, not sure that too many of us can believe what is happening here today but lets not knock it. Marland Yarde really getting involved in the game, obviously playing for an England place. From the kick off, Lambert penalised for holding on and Cipriani turns down a kickable penalty and boots the ball to the corner. The catch and drive is held up over the line by Wallace but eventually Cipriani takes a simple 3 points from in front of the posts. Into the last 5 minutes of the first half and Quins pressing yet again eventually leads to a typical sniping Danny Care try in the corner in the fortieth minute, kick by Nev hits the posts so half time score 6 - 22 with a try bonus point to Quins. Somewhere in there, Robson was replaced by Charlie Matthews, after about 36 minutes from my notes. After the match, chatting to some Sale fans and they were very uncomplimentary about Cussiters part in the Care try. 

Quins started the second just how they finished the first and were quickly awarded a penalty from which Nev took the 3 points. Well, I suppose it had to happen, major changes by Sale including Arscott at fullback, never understood why he didn`t start, now Sale start to exert more pressure and press the Quins line in the corner. A session of handbags followed by a series of penalties led to Dave Ward being shown a yellow card eventually leading to a well taken try by Tom Arscott plus the additional points by Cipriani. Marfo also replaced Matt Shields about this time as well as Buchanan coming on to make up the front row and Wallace going to the bench. 

Some scrappy play by both sides but the tide is turning as Sale continue to exert pressure, Botica replacing Evans is not good for Quins and Karl Dickson comes on for DC. Quins continue to defend well but things are certainly going the way of Sale, Ugo on for Walker on 69 minutes. Another good try by Arscott on 73 minutes following a clever kick by Cipriani but conversion missed, 18 - 25 followed a few minutes later by what the home crowd wanted to see, a try by Cueto but conversion hits the post, whoops, now 22 - 25 with 5 minutes to go. Now Quins need to keep hold of the ball but Botica elects to kick but is blocked in the chase, Quins kick to the corner from the resulting kickable penalty, electing to run the clock down in the corner. A scrum to Sale on 5 metre line with time up Sale try to break out but Quins are awarded a penalty in front of the post. We all rise as one to celebrate a hard fought victory by Quins when Nick Easter decides to take a quick penalty, the ball is turned over and within a couple of minutes Sale are pressing in the Quins 22 but ball eventually goes loose to a collective sigh of relief from the Quins support. 

Not sure what to make of that, Quins fortunate to be 4 tries to the good at half time but they took their chances well. Thought Yarde had one of his better games, always looking to get involved, Danny Care looked sharp, liked the look of Lowe and Sloan together, more great work from Robshaw and Jack Clifford continues to impress. Considering the scalps that Sale have taken at home this season, that was an excellent win for Quins going home as they did with 5 points in the bag. It certainly made the long drive home a lot better than it might have been. Two more wins by Quins needed and a loss by Gloucester in the European final and Quins might just make the seventh play off spot in the league.

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Match Report: Sale vs Harlequins
Discussion started by ComeAllWithin.co.uk , 26/04/2015 22:34
ComeAllWithin.co.uk
26/04/2015 22:34
What do you think? You can have your say by posting below.
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ChiddQuin
27/04/2015 10:58
Thanks BB.

gregory p
27/04/2015 14:13
You deserve thanks just for braving the M6 on a Saturday but that's a good report too.

The Prof
29/04/2015 13:38
Cheers BB

brfc_quin
29/04/2015 19:48
Great report - cheers

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