By Whaley Shark
September 21 2013

I will admit to apprehension as I settled into my seat for this game. We'd blown it against Falcons and screwing up a second home game would definitely not be part of my plan for the season.....

It actually took over 25 minutes of playing time and about 40 minutes of real time (which felt like a bleeding eternity) to break the deadlock in last night’s game. There were six scrums in the first quarter of the game and each seemed to be reset about three times. Eventually, the arm wrestle ended when we were awarded a penalty 35 metres out and Danny Cipriani did the business to get us off the mark. Andy Goode evened the scores for Wasps after just a couple of minutes, though. We came close to scoring a try, with Mark Cueto, Andy Forsyth and Tom Brady surging down the left but being hauled down just short of the Wasps’ line. That let us besiege the Wasps’ line though and, after a catch and drive was held up over the line, our second attempt saw us spin the ball right across the field to Mark Cueto, who changed the line of attack and crossed for a try. That perked us up and, as the clock ticked towards half time, we applied further pressure, which yielded another penalty and sent us in for half time 13-3 ahead.

We started the second half vigorously too, trying to kill off Wasps once and for all. Danny Cipriani sent a penalty wide, but we took the ball straight back to the Wasps’ 22, took a quick throw in from a Wasps clearance, and battered at the Wasps’ line. Finally, Danny Cipriani sneaked over in the corner and, after the referee went to the TMO, the try was awarded. With the conversion, we were 20-3 up with half an hour to go.

That finally seemed to provoke Wasps. They put a scrum penalty into touch on our 22, took the lineout ball without much trouble and rolled a maul over our line for their first try. They put us back under pressure again, but Tom Arscott ran out of defence to set up an attack down the left, Wasps infringed and Danny Cipriani slotted the penalty. Wasps weren’t finished though and, with the catch and drive having yielded one try, they gave it another go. This time, some defensive naughtiness gave them a penalty try and, at 23-17 with 12 minutes to go, the game which looked won didn’t seem nearly so secure any more. 

The wobbles continued as we carried the ball into our 22 and kicked straight to touch, giving Wasps a lineout on our 22- sound familiar? Sure enough, they rolled happily forward but this time let the ball out and ran it left to score in the corner. Fortunately, Andy Goode sent the conversion wide and we clung on to a one point lead. With eight minutes to play, I felt we ran the clock down quite ‘professionally’, retaining possession, ensuring scrums had to be reset (strange how messing around at the scrum didn’t matter any more…) and finally winning a kickable penalty which Danny Cipriani scored with the last kick of the game. 

Well, I suppose it wouldn’t be Sale without the stress. I think we did enough to deserve the win and I think it was important in maintaining a decent gap between us and the bottom of the table. Because we won, I can almost forgive the first 25 minutes of the match. The forwards played themselves to a standstill and, much as I admire Nick Macleod, I can’t deny that Danny Cipriani made good use of the ball they gave him, so Danny’s my Man of the Match. There’s an honourable mention for Kirill Kulemin, who certainly has physical presence, and I was very chuffed to see us looking like a team, with the players geeing each other up during the game. Something to build on next Friday evening in Northampton.