Statement victory over Saracens proves Sale are ready to win Premiership again

Sale 35 Saracens 24

It is getting on for 17 years since Sale reached their only Premiership final to date, memorably dismantling Leicester 45-20 at a rain-soaked Twickenham.

A stellar team assembled by Philippe Saint-Andre featured stars such as Jason Robinson, Sebastien Chabal, Charlie Hodgson, Mark Cueto and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe.

Not much has gone right for Sale in the intervening years and even reaching the play-offs has largely proved beyond them since that solitary 2006 title success under Brian Kennedy’s ownership.

This exhilarating comeback victory over current Premiership leaders Saracens, though, confirmed the new chapter being patiently written by Alex Sanderson is one of substance.

Moreover, it encouraged hopes that Sale could finally return to HQ for this year’s Premiership final, with a home play-off semi-final now firmly within their sights.

“Is this one of the best wins of my time in charge at Sale? It has to be,” Sanderson said after beating his former employers for the first time in four attempts since taking over at Sale. “I’m a happy man because we’ve shown what we’re capable of and I’ll have a bottle of Malbec tonight.”

Sanderson’s team trailed 16-0 before fashioning a remarkable response which harvested five tries, a bonus point and ensured their visitors returned south empty-handed.

Joe Carpenter, a 21- year-old full-back from Leeds, seized centre stage with two well-executed tries, while Saracens felt decisions went against them after having captain Alex Goode sinbinned on the half-hour mark.

That signalled a major momentum shift which enabled Sale to take control and never look back, while the visitors also had replacement prop Robin Hislop sent off in the final quarter for a high tackle on the ubiquitous Carpenter.

Belief is growing at Sale and attendances are on the rise, with a near sell-out crowd of 10,136 at the AJ Bell Stadium to witness a victory that was rapturously received.

Sanderson learnt his coaching trade at Saracens under Brendan Venter and then Mark McCall, helping the club to three European Cups and five Premiership titles in 12 years before returning to Sale to succeed Steve Diamond just over two years ago.

Both sides were missing a host of England internationals and it was Saracens who seized the early initiative.

First, Alex Lewington finished off a delightful handling sequence involving Goode and Sean Maitland in the right corner before Theo Dan barrelled over from a formidable driving maul for their second.

After Goode was sinbinned by referee, Tom Foley, for blocking Tom O’Flaherty down the left flank, Sale hit back almost immediately through Carpenter, a constant threat from full-back.

He finished off a pass from O’Flaherty and the winger was the provider again on the stroke of half-time when Sam James, the centre, raced clear to score.

The pass from O’Flaherty appeared suspiciously forward but the match was finely poised at 19-14 in Saracens’ favour at the interval.

Shortly after half-time, a superb tackle by Alex Lozowski denied O’Flaherty in the left corner yet Sale were not to be denied, with 21-year-old Carpenter finishing off another fine handling sequence for their third try.

Director of rugby Sanderson added: “Carpenter was exceptional, magnificent and magic – he was brave under the high balls and his footwork and pace made it a pretty complete performance.

“If he’s this good now, where’s he going to get to?”

Sale had the bonus point on the hour when Rob du Preez’s sumptuous crossfield kick found captain, Jono Ross, and he dived over in the right corner.

Kapeli Pifeleti’s try got the visitors to within four points but they had Hislop dismissed soon after for a high tackle on Carpenter and Jean-Luc du Preez added a fifth Sale try at the death amid scenes of mounting euphoria.

Even Sanderson admitted Saracens had a right to feel aggrieved at some of the calls which went against them.

McCall said: “I felt like some decisions went against us today.

“I wasn’t sure about Goode’s yellow card and, for their second try, everyone could see it was a forward pass.

“But fair play to Sale and to Alex, who is doing more than a good job.

“Everyone can see how much they have improved since he came here. They are building something very good.”

Match details

Scores: 0-3 Goode pen, 0-6 Goode pen, 0-11 Lewington try, 0-16 Dan try, 5-16 Carpenter try, 7-16 R Du Preez con, 7-19 M Vunipola pen, 12-19 James try, 14-19 R Du Preez con, 19-19 Carpenter try, 21-19 R Du Preez con, 26-19 Ross try, 28-19 R Du Preez con, 28-24 Pifeleti try, 33-24 JL Du Preez, 35-24 R Du Preez con
Sale Sharks: J Carpenter; T Roebuck, S James, R Mills, O’Flaherty; R du Preez, G Warr (R Quirke 50); B Rodd (S McIntyre 50), E Ashman (T Taylor, 50), C Oosthuizen (N Schonert 50), C Wiese, J Hill, J Ross (J Beaumont 76), S Dugdale, JL du Preez.
Saracens: A Goode; S Maitland, A Lozowski (O Hartley 66), N Tompkins, A Lewington; M Vunipola (R Segun 68), A Davies (I Van Zyl 55); E Mawi (R Hislop 55), T Dan (K Pifeleti 58), A Clarey (E Bello 55), N Isiekwe (C Boon 75), H Tizard, T Ellis, A Christie, B Vunipola
Referee: T Foley (RFU) 
Attendance: 10,136