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The GP Match Report Thread
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<blockquote data-quote="Bullitt" data-source="post: 60786"><p>25/3/06</p><p></p><p><strong>Sharks show their teeth at last</strong></p><p></p><p><img src="http://home.skysports.com/images/sports/Irish/armitage_delon2006.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></p><p></p><p>Sale scored three second half tries to battle back for a 29-21 victory over third-placed London Irish, extending their lead at the top of the Guinness Premiership to nine points.</p><p></p><p>The Sharks silenced a 20,000 'St Patrick's Day' crowd in Reading to boost their hopes of a home semi-final in the play-offs, but their joy will be tempered by injuries to key backs Jason Robinson and Mark Cueto.</p><p></p><p>Both men were forced off with leg injuries and will be worries ahead of next Sunday's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Biarritz.</p><p></p><p>The first half at the Madejski Stadium was a story of conrasts. Sale won four penalties and Charlie Hodgson kicked them all, while Irish scored three quality tries, but Riki Flutey missed all three conversions, plus a penalty to boot.</p><p></p><p>A scrappy first 10 minutes was punctuated by a well-struck penalty from Sharks fly-half Hodgson and a miss from an easier position by his opposite number Flutey.</p><p></p><p>But on 13 minutes the game exploded into life as Irish robbed Sale flanker Magnus Lund in midfield, the turnover ball quirted out and Sailosi Tagicakibau seized on it and raced past the limping Robinson to the line.</p><p></p><p>Moments later Robinson hobbled off, with Cueto switching to full back, but Sale were quickly back in the game as Hodgson caressed another penalty over following an in-at-the-side infringement.</p><p></p><p>On 19 minutes the Irish forwards got a maul rolling close to the Sale line and it was illegally pulled down. They opted to go for the corner and when the ball as spun out wide, Flutey arrived on a superb attacking line to reach over and score.</p><p></p><p>There was plenty of controversy about the try, however, as television replays showed he had touched the ball down on Richard Wrigglesworth's ankle, the referee deciding not to go to the TMO.</p><p></p><p>Flutey missed another straightforward conversion and Hodgson showed him how to strike a ball once again, following another ruck infringement, cutting the deficit to a point.</p><p></p><p>But it was Irish wh were playing all the rugby and their third try of the half was a real gem. Flutey and Michael Horak displayed superb handling skills but Delon Armitage (pictured) surpassed that with a wonderful one-handed take behind his back. He still had plenty of work to do to score and he did it with a delicate chip over the top, which he collected athletically before crashing over.</p><p></p><p>But Flutey again missed the conversion and when the Sale forwards pushed Irish off their own scrum ball, the hosts' forwards popped up and Hodgson popped over his fourth penalty for a 15-12 scoreline.</p><p></p><p>Sale emerged after the break with renewed purpose and it was the forwards who again did the damage, a rolling maul ending in a close range finish from Andy ***terrell to put the visitors ahead for the first time.</p><p></p><p>Inevitably, Hodgson added the extras but moments later Sale concded a penalty for killing the ball and this time it was Mike Catt who missed the posts.</p><p></p><p>But Sale suffered a major blow when Cueto stumbled on a piece of pitch-side advertising and was taken off in considerable pain.</p><p></p><p>On 51 minutes the Sale front row were penalised at the scrum and this time Catt was finally able to slot a penalty from right in front.</p><p></p><p>On the hour mark Irish regained the lead when Sale winger Steve Hanley found himself isolated after collecting Catt's kick and was penalised for holding on, Catt knocking over his second penalty from right in front.</p><p></p><p>But still there was another twist to this incredible game. Irish were pressing for the killer score but the ball was hacked clear by Sale skipper Jason White and Hodgson won the chase. Quick ball was spun out to the left wing and Hanley finished emphatically in the corner.</p><p></p><p>And it was Hanley - the Premiership's record try-scorer - who settled the contest, going down the blindside from a scrum, beating Irish scrum-half Paul Hodgson and sliding in to score in the same corner.</p><p></p><p>Charlie Hodgson missed his second conversion from out wide but the lead was now eight points and Irish were denied even a bonus point, probably the least they deserved for an heroic performance in defeat.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Bullitt, post: 60786"] 25/3/06 [b]Sharks show their teeth at last[/b] [img]http://home.skysports.com/images/sports/Irish/armitage_delon2006.jpg[/img] Sale scored three second half tries to battle back for a 29-21 victory over third-placed London Irish, extending their lead at the top of the Guinness Premiership to nine points. The Sharks silenced a 20,000 'St Patrick's Day' crowd in Reading to boost their hopes of a home semi-final in the play-offs, but their joy will be tempered by injuries to key backs Jason Robinson and Mark Cueto. Both men were forced off with leg injuries and will be worries ahead of next Sunday's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Biarritz. The first half at the Madejski Stadium was a story of conrasts. Sale won four penalties and Charlie Hodgson kicked them all, while Irish scored three quality tries, but Riki Flutey missed all three conversions, plus a penalty to boot. A scrappy first 10 minutes was punctuated by a well-struck penalty from Sharks fly-half Hodgson and a miss from an easier position by his opposite number Flutey. But on 13 minutes the game exploded into life as Irish robbed Sale flanker Magnus Lund in midfield, the turnover ball quirted out and Sailosi Tagicakibau seized on it and raced past the limping Robinson to the line. Moments later Robinson hobbled off, with Cueto switching to full back, but Sale were quickly back in the game as Hodgson caressed another penalty over following an in-at-the-side infringement. On 19 minutes the Irish forwards got a maul rolling close to the Sale line and it was illegally pulled down. They opted to go for the corner and when the ball as spun out wide, Flutey arrived on a superb attacking line to reach over and score. There was plenty of controversy about the try, however, as television replays showed he had touched the ball down on Richard Wrigglesworth's ankle, the referee deciding not to go to the TMO. Flutey missed another straightforward conversion and Hodgson showed him how to strike a ball once again, following another ruck infringement, cutting the deficit to a point. But it was Irish wh were playing all the rugby and their third try of the half was a real gem. Flutey and Michael Horak displayed superb handling skills but Delon Armitage (pictured) surpassed that with a wonderful one-handed take behind his back. He still had plenty of work to do to score and he did it with a delicate chip over the top, which he collected athletically before crashing over. But Flutey again missed the conversion and when the Sale forwards pushed Irish off their own scrum ball, the hosts' forwards popped up and Hodgson popped over his fourth penalty for a 15-12 scoreline. Sale emerged after the break with renewed purpose and it was the forwards who again did the damage, a rolling maul ending in a close range finish from Andy ***terrell to put the visitors ahead for the first time. Inevitably, Hodgson added the extras but moments later Sale concded a penalty for killing the ball and this time it was Mike Catt who missed the posts. But Sale suffered a major blow when Cueto stumbled on a piece of pitch-side advertising and was taken off in considerable pain. On 51 minutes the Sale front row were penalised at the scrum and this time Catt was finally able to slot a penalty from right in front. On the hour mark Irish regained the lead when Sale winger Steve Hanley found himself isolated after collecting Catt's kick and was penalised for holding on, Catt knocking over his second penalty from right in front. But still there was another twist to this incredible game. Irish were pressing for the killer score but the ball was hacked clear by Sale skipper Jason White and Hodgson won the chase. Quick ball was spun out to the left wing and Hanley finished emphatically in the corner. And it was Hanley - the Premiership's record try-scorer - who settled the contest, going down the blindside from a scrum, beating Irish scrum-half Paul Hodgson and sliding in to score in the same corner. Charlie Hodgson missed his second conversion from out wide but the lead was now eight points and Irish were denied even a bonus point, probably the least they deserved for an heroic performance in defeat. [/QUOTE]
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