Sale Sharks 24-10 Gloucester Rugby: Sharks return to winning ways in Gallagher Premiership on George Ford’s return

Sale Sharks returned to winning ways in the Gallagher Premiership with a convincing bonus-point win in slippery conditions against Gloucester in Salford.

With George Ford pulling the strings on his return from England duty, the lively Arron Reed crossed twice before half-time as Sale showed great quality when putting the ball through the hands.

The wet surface ensured that the ball saw plenty of air time under the Friday night lights, but it was Sale who always looked the more likely to turn that territory game into points on the board, and they duly did when Ben Curry crossed moments after coming on, making an instant impression on his first appearance in over six months.

And Sale made the game safe when Argentina’s Agustin Creevy scored on his Sale debut, burrowing over in typical powerful style from close range moments after Gus Warr had made a try-saving intervention at the other end.

Gloucester added a consolation score at the death, but this was a night for Sale, who will have increasing aspirations of competing for the title on this evidence.

The international quality that Sale Sharks were able to add to their squad made all the difference. Ford wasn’t his best off the tee but was game-changing with his open-play kicking, Bevan Rodd was at his dynamic best at times, and Creevy made a good case to be Player of the Match on his first appearance for The Sharks, making an instant impact in the league after his World Cup efforts with Argentina.

That sort of quality means that Sale surely will be competing in the upper echelons of the table as the season continues.

The scrum-half made some crucial contributions, putting up many dangerous box-kicks of his own, and chasing down a kick to set up his team’s second try in the opening 40. But probably the moment of the match came in defence for Warr, when he somehow managed to hold the ball up in the corner when it looked for all the world like Gloucester were going to get a score that would have brought them right back into it.

Sale Sharks Starting XV: Sam James 8, Tom Roebuck 7, Rob du Preez 8, Sam Bedlow 8, Arron Reed 9, George Ford 8, Gus Warr 9; Bevan Rodd 8, Agustin Creevy 8, Nick Schonert 7, Cobus Wiese 6, Jonny Hill 6, Ernst van Rhyn 6, Sam Dugdale 6, Dan du Preez 6.  Replacements: Nathan Langdon 7, Si McIntyre 7, James Harper 7, Ben Curry 8, Nye Thomas 8, Alex Wills 8, Tom Ellis 8.  

Gloucester Rugby Starting XV: Jake Morris 7, Jack Reeves 7, Chris Harris 8, Mark Atkinson 7, Alex Hearle 7, George Barton 6, Charlie Chapman 6, Val Rapava-Ruskin 7, Jack Singleton 7, Kirill Gotovtsev 6, Freddie Thomas 7, Arthur Clark 7, Albert Tuisue 7, Ben Donnell 6, Jack Clement 6. Replacements: Santi Socino 6, Harry Elrington 6, Ciaran Knight 6, Harry Taylor 6, Micky Young 6, Max Llewellyn 6, Josh Hathaway 6

16’: TRY! SALE 5-3 GLOUCESTER

It’s a classic move from Sale. They claim the lineout and get the big carriers crashing towards the line. There’s a penalty going Sale’s way anyway, so they fling it wide and Arron Reed crosses in the corner. The conversion attempt from out on the touchline is not good, but that’s try No. 1 for Sale.

34’: TRY! SALE 10-3 GLOUCESTER

Warr puts the pressure on as a big kick goes up, Reeves makes the mistake underneath it, and Sale put the ball through the hands to put the rapid Reed over the line in the corner. Was the pass forward? No, say the officials.

52’: TRY! SALE 17-3 GLOUCESTER

You could feel the Sharks circling and Gloucester couldn’t quite survive, and it’s the substitute Ben Curry, who’s only just come on, who powers over from the aftermath of a rolling maul to add Sale’s third try.

Warr does amazingly well to hold up what seemed a certain Gloucester try after a flowing attacking move. It’s a brilliant bit of defence, and made even more watchable by the misfortune of referee Anthony Woodthorpe, who slipped at precisely the moment he needed to see what had happened.

70’: TRY! SALE 22-3 GLOUCESTER

The bonus point is in the bag and it’s Creevy who burrows over to score Sale’s fourth of the night, timing his attack perfectly off the back of a driving maul.

77’: TRY! SALE 24-10 GLOUCESTER

It’s a bizarre try as a deflected kick falls into Gloucester hands up-field, with everybody now onside, and Freddie Thomas strolls in under the posts. The conversion is simple and good.