Matchday Live

Newcastle Red Bulls snatched victory with the final play of the game to secure a five-point win in their final home fixture of the 2025/26 season at Kingston Park. A late score from Alex Hearle, with the clock in the red, saw Round 17 end 45-22 in favour of the hosts. 

Sale Sharks flew out of the blocks in the first half, with Tom Roebuck tearing through the midfield to score after just 61 seconds. 

Newcastle looked to respond minutes later, but Alex Hearle’s pass to Benitez-Cruz was adjudged forward. 

On his first Premiership Rugby start, Seb Kelly wrestled over the line following sharp link-up play from Joe Carpenter and Arron Reed down the left wing. George Ford added the conversion to extend the Sharks’ lead to 14-0. 

From the restart, Newcastle worked patiently through the phases and hammered away at the Sharks’ defence. Their pressure eventually paid off when Tom Christie burst through to score the Red Bulls’ first try of the night. Brett Connon’s conversion drifted wide. 

The Sharks responded immediately. After working their way into the Newcastle 22, Gus Warr spotted space out wide and fired a long pass to Roebuck. Using his aerial ability and excellent handling skills, the winger offloaded brilliantly to Tom O’Flaherty, who dotted down in the corner. Ford added the extras to stretch the lead further. 

A Newcastle penalty at the breakdown allowed Ford to kick deep into the 22 for a lineout 10 metres from the line. The Sharks’ half-backs combined well before Ford took the ball to the line and released Joe Carpenter, who cut inside to score beneath the posts and secure the try bonus point before half-time. 

Mafi responded for the Red Bulls, picking the ball up from the base of the scrum and powering over from close range. Connon was unable to add the conversion. 

The Sharks had the final say of the half through Alfie Longstaff. After winning another penalty, Sale kicked to the corner and set up a driving maul. Longstaff controlled the ball at the back before peeling away and crashing over the line. 

Ford converted to send the Sharks into the sheds with a commanding 35-10 lead at the break. 

Newcastle struck first after the breakthrough Alex Hearle before Freddie Lockwood crossed shortly afterwards, running an excellent support line from Christian Wade’s blistering break down the wing. With 56 minutes played, Sale’s lead had been cut to 35-24. 

The Red Bulls denied the Sharks with a strong defensive spell, but Sale eventually recycled possession and exploited space out wide. Tom O’Flaherty linked up brilliantly with Arron Reed, who crossed for Sale’s sixth try of the afternoon. Ford added the conversion to extend the lead to 42-24 with just under 15 minutes remaining. 

However, Newcastle found momentum in the closing stages and capitalised on broken-field opportunities. First, Tom Chister wrestled over after Sale were penalised in midfield, with Ben Healy adding the conversion. 

Then, in the 72nd minute, Healy released Hearle, who raced clear to score. Healy again converted, reducing the deficit to just four points at 42-38 and setting up a dramatic finish. 

Sale pinned Newcastle back inside their own 22 for the final moments of the game, but the hosts won a crucial turnover at the breakdown. Hutchinson burst deep into Sale territory before finding Hearle in support, and the winger raced under the posts for the match-winning try with the clock in the red. 

Healy converted to seal a remarkable 45-42 victory for Newcastle Red Bulls. 

Alex Sanderson said “We started the game with real ambition and endeavour, some crisp handling and some good tries. We ended it with ill-discipline, inaccurate execution and poor defence, and that has been a recurring theme for eight or nine games this season. This isn’t a fluke – there is clearly something missing. 

We have one week to put it right and chase a good feeling, rather than how we all feel right now. We want to show our supporters and our owners that there’s more to us in terms of our character than we showed out there today. 

Champions Cup qualification is a motivation, but it’s not the main driver. There are bigger things motivating us ahead of the final home game – our supporters, our home ground and giving the boys who are leaving at the end of the season the send-off they deserve.”