Matchday Live

A free-flowing Sale Sharks underlined their playoff intentions with a statement 43-29 win over Harlequins.

Putting their away form woes behind them, Sale recovered from an early 10-0 deficit to score a first half bonus point before gritting their teeth in the second to resist a Harlequins comeback.

It wouldn’t be Sale if an away game was made completely simple, and a 76th minute score from incoming signing Nathan Jibulu set up a nerve-wracking finish, but Tom Roebuck’s poacher’s effort at the death secured all five points and landed the weekend’s first blow in the hunt for playoffs.

The match was ultimately won in the first half, with Sale arriving on aa dry, albeit windy day to play expansive rugby. With the wind against them the likes of Asher Opoku-Fordjour, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Tom Curry conspired to secure an early bonus point, before early second half efforts from Jonny Hill and Jean-Luc du Preez opened a comprehensive lead.

In that breathless first half, the host were first to strike when, punishing three consecutive Sale penalties, Jack Kenningham busted through some tackles to add to a Marcus Smith penalty.

Determined to honour Sanderson’s midweek request for a fast start, Sale took the lead through tries from Cowan-Dickie and Tom Curry – the latter scoring his first for Sale since February 2023. Showcasing the all-court game that Sale have sought to develop, Cowan-Dickie’s try came from a long-range maul before Curry benefitted from George Ford squaring up the line after Opoku-Fordjour battered himself through no less than six tackles to establish field position.

Quins retook the lead when Cadan Murley finished off a four-on-two, but that was short-lived when Opoku-Fordjour grabbed one of his own, pacing round fullback Tyrone Green to finish after some sumptuous offloading by du Preez brothers Rob and Dan, Hill and Cowan-Dickie.

Sale then reverted to type for the bonus point try before half time, Tom Curry absorbing two tackles to wriggle over after a superhuman length-of-the-field chase from Cowan-Dickie earned Sale an attacking maul.

They then used that mauling reputation to score just two minutes into the second half, Hill dropping over with ease after a dummy maul put Cowan-Dickie within a metre.

Hill’s second row partner, Ben Bamber, soon turned provider when he pirouetted out the back of a lineout before Jean-Luc du Preez picked and score a well-deserved try.

Quins were able to flirt with the prospect of a comeback through tries from Cameron Anderson and Jibulu, but Roebuck’s grateful reception of a Quins mistake in their on 22 secured the win, limiting their play-off rivals to just one point.