By Hobbledehoy's Dad
September 26 2004

Three in a row at the start of the season equalled Sale's best ever start in the top flight. Could they make it four with the visit of Worcester? H's Dad reflects on the answer to that question...

It would be easy to be carried away with the clinical efficiency of Sale running the Warriors ragged. To some extent we deserve that pleasure, last week an ugly dogged defensive performance won us a grudge match. We failed to win or retain quality ball. This week we fired on almost all cylinders; it was a joy to be there….

But as PSA has said, we are engaged in a marathon, and this game was but another step. The papers are full of words like superb, peerless, rout, hammering, devouring, drubbing, and sinking. They refer to poor, hapless, floundering, rudderless, Worcester. But I remind myself that teams can only play as well as they are allowed to. The honest industry of a well-drilled but predictable and one-dimensional pack was just about the only plus point for the frankly outclassed Warriors.

They kept trying to the end, urged on by truly magnificent support, but the lack of star players, leadership, creativity, a kicker, a plan B, and, above all, the failure to adjust to Sale’s wide game at half-time, was to cost them dearly.

The match started with a Sale knock–on, and Warriors profited with early pressure. But an early steal by Jones in the lineout set the tone for the afternoon, we would achieve more than parity in most phases of play. Their lineout, in particular, would not, as feared by some, be dominant.

The play moved to mid-field, where an early penalty saw Charlie making one of the first of many kicks into touch, deep into the opposition half. The resulting lineout was worked whipped across the field, stretching Worcester to the limit. Sale were first to the breakdown in numbers; quick ball spun left and then back wide right to find Chris Jones who crashed over to score wide out. Try Sale. Conversion Hodgson. Three phases of clean rugby….try Sale. And so it continued.

Chris Rees Jones came truly of age in this match, both in attack and flawless tackling. He blasted through the centre a few minutes later to set Jason off on a run, who kept possession, recycling to Charlie giving him plenty of time and space for his trademark early game tactic of a perfectly weighted diagonal kick for Frank.  The ref seemed to make a very poor decision when apparently overruling the linesman. The diving catch and slide over was worthy of a try. Only the warrior fans know if he was wrong…

But it didn’t matter, Charlie’s distribution, decision-making and kicking were all back to their very best; something I do not honestly think we saw last year.

It is a sad reflection of the Warriors game that their only score occurred following an amateurish Sale error, another blatant re-start knock–on by Sea Bass was gathered in, a full 5 yards up field, by an over-eager Chris Day. Twenty yards out and smack in front of the posts; Warriors were on the score sheet.

Charlie replied within a minute, after Warriors were caught offside.  Two minutes later a perfectly waited double miss pass to Cueto sent him into his favourite corner.

 It deserved to be converted; Charlie obliged. 17;3 Sale.

There then followed a period of intense Worcester pressure, as the Warriors gleaned the benefits of their good drop-out routine. They held the ball for a few phases of play, and then knocked on in contact. Play became messy with several re-set scrums eventually earning Warriors a penalty. Warriors showed their hand and kicked for the corner. Their pack was exerting pressure round the fringes, and they wound themselves up for the catch and drive. However their rolling maul build-up was rather laboured and despite edging forward and forcing two or three consecutive penalties and corner ball lineouts, the Sale line held. Somewhere in the middle of those two or three minutes, frustration set in as Noon took exception to Barry’s infiltration of the tight maul; two sin-binnings resulting. The pressure, significantly, had failed to tell as the Sale pack demonstrated excellent short yard defence where it mattered. The line was never crossed. Last year we may well have succumbed. This year Sale seem to have more grit and seem determined to have the best defence in the league.

            As soon as the ball was released from the comparative safety of the tight five of Worcester, our back row, and the pressurizing of C.R. Jones or Toddy eventually forced a turnover. And so the match progressed. Worcester, under considerable pressure from a blitzing defense, could do nothing with clean ball, except kick. Just what we wanted.

 Sale were playing with confidence and style. Charlie and the Emu seemed refreshed from their comparative holiday at the England training camp and both were playing superbly. Pods from the shark pack were clearing out with power and pace; brutal and effective; ample quick ball resulted.

For the most part Sale preferred to play deep in the opposition 22 and the wide diagonal kick was repeatedly used to great effect by Charlie who seemed to have plenty of time to vary his play at will.  Perhaps the real credit should go to Basil for that; his service was fast, smooth, long and flat all through the half.

Personally I knew we had the confidence to win, when Charlie intentionally varied play deep in our 22, spinning the ball wide under our posts. We very nearly broke free for a spectacular try, but the ball was retained, recycled efficiently and cleared way down field. Murmurs of simultaneous surprise and approval from the Cheadle End.

From that moment it seemed to me that, the Warriors back-row and halfbacks failed to pressurize Charlie further; it kept them honest.

One of the few salvations to Warriors play was their effectiveness at the restarts; they frequently regained possession, albeit only temporarily delaying another Sale score. And plenty of restarts their were, as Jones went over for his second following back row pressure after an erratic Warriors tap back. It could have been White, Day, or Lund that got onto the ball in a flash; they were all playing with a pace and commitment the Wusses simply could not match; a simple feed to Chris Jones and he romped home from 25 metres, untouched.

Worcester had the ball from the re-start, did nothing particular with it for four or five phases, then lost it. Another long diagonal kick from Charlie; play back into the Worcester half.

A well executed lineout steal and flat fast passing led to a maul with a wide blindside, left curiously unmanned by Worcester. It could have been any one of four Sale players, but Lund crashed over from 30 yards out.

Such was the effectiveness of Sale’s protection of their own ball, that one member or another of the back row seemed to be semi-permanently roving the field looking for ball amongst the threes.

Titters started ball carrying; repeatedly probing, darting and sidestepping round the fringes trying to decide which gap he would exploit to set up the next quick platform; remarkably Neil Back-like.

But above all the Sale pack were achieving domination in the areas where it mattered; both 22’s. All Sanderson could do was to niggle at Jones, who openly laughed in his face. Worcester’s pack seemed strangely subdued, but their backs were totally anonymous.

 31 - 3 half time. Bonus point secured, game won, job done?

The question remained. Would Sale take their foot off the gas and enable the Worcester pack to finally achieve a degree of dominance in the second half, as they had against Sarries and Bath, grinding out a degree of respectability.

Sale came out with PSA’s instructions clear in their heads; No quarter, no relaxing, no silly penalties, keep them try-less; perfect defence, merci bien.

They responded, and started the second half with increased cohesion and added purpose in the pack.

A tight maul driving into the Cheadle half enabled Sea Bass to break down the narrow blindside at pace, probably giving Ben Gollins nightmares for the rest of the week, as he was overrun by the french pile driver. A neat timed release of ball to Redpath resulted in three Sale forwards driving him over the line right under the Cheadle stand. The pack meant business. The Cheadle End smiled. Basil deserved it.

Jason decided to join in the party and with a forty-metre classic, jinked and twisted the despairing Warriors inside out, before out-sprinting the wilting cover. The Cheadle End saw it all and roared him home.

Light relief then intervened as Sale actually won ball from a restart; the ironic cheering mattered little. Worcester were a spent force.

Sale then started to play with a touch too much fluidity for my own liking, 25 metre reverse pqsses ballooning into the air concern me slightly, as do back-handed flicks, but Redpath and the rest of the Sale backs were playing festival rugby. Stan and Frank both chose to try and join in the glory rather than draw the man and pass on at least a couple of occasions. Two or three opportunities went begging and both ended up getting knocks, going off injured.

But all that can be forgiven as almost every speculative pass stuck, and the ball was seldom given away to the opposition. Sale gave Worcester respect, but little else.

Worcester resorted to chips and punts to try and gain momentum for their play.

Hinshelwood who had ran straight and hard all afternoon, was lucky to stay on the pitch when he nearly decapitated Jason with a very high tackle as Billy Whizz jumped for a speculative punted high ball. The game pace slowed. Worcester changed their boiler room personnel, but little else. They resorted to spoiling tactics. Collier was soon sin-binned for persistent killing of the ball.

PSA brought on Hercus, allowing Charlie to practice his dribbling skills on the wing;

Wiggie getting a run out on the other.  Stewart, White and Lund all came off for a well-earned rest. Turner, Bruno and Anglesea came on. Titters had been playing like a flanker, so he was moved there!

Turner immediately showed the Worcester pack how to score from a driving maul, crabbing along the line, after some good forward work, till the pressure told. Chabal came off to rapturous applause, replaced by Caillet.

Sale continued to press and still looked the part, Chris Jones crashing over for his third, m.o.m. winning, try).

The Worcester pack, to their credit, and with the heart-warming continued vocal support of their fans ringing in their ears, kept trying to the bitter end, but it was in vain. 

A 57 - 3, eight-try victory that enters the record books.

Comments; Tam is currently leading the pack, as the senior starting player.

Sale take but one step forward, even though it was definitely a step up in gear.

A slightly unusual try tally for Sale, 5 to the forwards, 3 to the backs.

An impressive performance all-round performance, orchestrated to near perfection.

Rather muted support by us; loathe the drum or like it; we will need it in the Cheadle End when tougher opposition come calling.

Last week Chris Jones was said to be concerned about retaining his starting place!

He needs briefing, the term is fairly meaningless; squad rotation is now the rule at Sharks; so far, it is working well, every player involved seems to be reeking the benefit, and playing with renewed pace and power. It will help him develop.

Patrick Strines will remember his leading out of the team for a very long time.

Hobbledehoy could have asked for Jones’ shirt, but every single shirt would be a fitting souvenir.

His original choice of Titterell’s will be worn with great pride.