Sale Review

Another very tight match that Gloucester managed to get a result in, this time up at Sale. The Sharks looked the better team throughout but a fantastic game from Ludovic Mercier helped the Cherry-and-whites to a 30-30 draw and a bonus point win at Harlequins will secure the top league position.

A place in the play offs in now guaranteed but Gloucester will be happy to have got anything from an error-strewn showpiece. Heywood Road was a sell-out for the first time this season and the crowd must have been happy with the entertainment.

Sale were the first to put on pressure, and before Gloucester knew it they were 6-0 down after two penalties from stand-in kicker Jos Baxendell. However Gloucester man of the match Ludovic Mercier was not going to let them get away. He put Gloucester's first points on the board with a penalty and then Gloucester took the lead with a Ludo try.

Alert as ever, the Frenchman intercepted yet another pass to break away... an ability that he has shown all season and has led to many of Gloucester's tries including of course at Twickenham two weeks ago. Usually Ludo cannot run the full length of the pitch and usually needs support but this time he was up for it. He ran a massive 70 metres and with all that time none other than Jason Robinson could not even catch him. Henry Paul took the conversion as no doubt Ludo was so tired he wouldn't have been able to kick it himself. Sale 6-10 Gloucester.

Just before half time Sale took their first try and along with it the lead. As they pressured forward, a lineout from inside the 22 was won by the Sharks and they passed the ball well before sending Anglesea over when the man was drawn. Baxendell missed the conversion so Sale went in at half team in the lead by one point but further ahead in the other aspects of the game.

Gloucester simply looked tired but they weren't going to let Sale get away despite their second try soon after the break. They flew forward with an attack down the wing and Thinus Delport was left with a one on one against Steve Hanley. Delport despite his heroics the week before had played badly and Hanley easily rounded him to score.

Tony Spreadbury, usually one of the most reliable referees, had a terrible game and for some reason sent captain Jake Boer to the bin apparently for hands in the ruck. With one man more Sale looked far the better and Jason Robinson scored a brilliant solo try after going around 3 Gloucester defenders.

There was always one thing for sure in this match, and that was that Gloucester weren't ever going to give up. Straight after the restart they scored a try against the run of play and it was probably the try of the match.

Paul caught the kick and Peter Buxton broke away. It was spread out again through the line before Simpson Daniel caught it. he went forward before a sublime piece of skill released Terry Fanolua to score. Mercier converted from out wide.

It maybe looked like a bridge too far when Sale scored their fourth. Mark Cueto was left in far too much space and scored with relative ease. This meant that Gloucester needed a converted try to draw level and as ever they put everything in to it.

With just two minutes to score they got the try they needed. And the try they scored was the most typical Gloucester try of all from a driving maul after a lineout. The ball was spiraled in to touch by Ludo and the ball was secured after the throw. The forwards added their weight to the drive and went over the line, Jake Boer the last man up. Ludo had the most difficult of conversions from his wrong side but slotted it perfectly to send the traveling fans wild as a draw was secured. There was still time for Gloucester to get the winner but Ludo missed his two drop kick attempts.

Final Score - Sale 30-30 Gloucester

glosrfc.com men of the match - Ludovic Mercier and Andy Gomarsall