Matchday Live

Sale Sharks hopes of a Gallagher Premiership semi-final place were slightly dented this weekend following defeat at the hands of former Champions Saracens. The visitors held out to claim a 18-12 victory over the Sharks following two tries from Ben Earl.

Back row Earl crossed for a try in each half in a cagey encounter as Saracens strengthened their grip on second whilst defeat for #YourSharks saw them miss the chance to move into the top four although four penalties from Rob du Preez were enough for them to claim a losing-bonus point

Fly-half Du Preez kicked two penalties in the opening quarter to give Sale a 6-0 lead and Saracens, without Owen Farrell due to concussion protocol, found it hard to impose themselves.

They missed four attempts off the kicking tee, including two penalties and a conversion from the usually-reliable Alex Lozowski.

But they finished the half with Earl dotting down under a rolling maul, despite the best efforts of Faf de Klerk trying to hold the ball up, to reduce Sale’s lead to just a point at the interval.

Lozowski and Du Preez then traded penalties as the match continued to be hard fought, but Earl’s second score with eight minutes to play proved decisive.

He latched on to a break from Max Malins before going over in the right corner.

While Sale were unable to pick up a positive result, England centre Manu Tuilagi did play 30 minutes off the bench to make a first appearance since mid-February, following a recurring hamstring injury that kept him out of the Six Nations.

Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson:

“We just weren’t clinical enough in the opposition 22 and we didn’t take our chances, which you have to do in a game like that.

“You have to convert more points on the back of territory and possession.

“We went toe-to-toe physically and in terms of work-rate with Saracens and we know we’ve got all the minerals and all the pieces, but just putting them together into an 80-minute performance is eluding us at the moment.

“We’ve been carrying the baggage of a poor first half of the season and that’s why every Premiership match for us has been must-win for a while.

“That carries its own kind of pressure and is maybe why we’re missing out in terms of executing.”