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Match Report: Sale Sharks 57 Newcastle Red Bulls 5
Newcastle Red Bulls endured a chastening night in Salford on Friday, starting the Gallagher PREM’s Derby Weekend with a heavy loss at northern rivals Sale Sharks.
Trailing 31-0 at the interval, the Red Bulls’ wait for a first win of the season continues after a dominant display from the home side.
Newcastle had passed an early defensive test when Sale kicked a penalty to the corner only to be turned over in phase play, but there was no stopping them at the second time of asking when a maul in the right corner saw Rob du Preez sneaking in down the blind-side for the game’s opening try.
George Ford converted from out wide, and he did so again from closer in when Tom Roebuck ran in their second try – the winger hitting a super angle against the grain after quick hands along the line.
Number three arrived on 16 minutes when Luke Cowan-Dickie ploughed over from a close-range tap penalty – the visitors by this stage playing with 14 men after centre Max Clark was sent to the sin bin.
Newcastle finally got their hands on the ball and had a pair of penalties inside the Sharks’ 22 around the half-hour, but could make neither count as the home defence stood firm.
Sale were having no such worries converting their opportunities, and wrapped up the four-try bonus point on 32 minutes when skipper Ernst van Rhyn broke from the base of a maul in the left corner for an unconverted score.
Tom Gordon’s line-break and an indiscretion from Cowan-Dickie at the resulting breakdown saw the Sharks reduced to 14 men for ten minutes, but they finished the half with a 31-point lead when Arron Reed kicked ahead down the left and won the race to the bouncing ball.
Newcastle were forced into a back-line reshuffle during the early moments of the second 40 with Ethan Grayson and Connor Doherty both limping off the field, but they got themselves on the scoreboard nine minutes into the half.
Elliott Obatoyinbo was the man to dot down, powering and wriggling out of two tackles to score at the left corner after a lineout down the right was worked along the line.
Brett Connon’s conversion hit the post and crossbar but bounced back into the field of play, but their momentum was only temporary as Sale hit straight back when Roebuck was put through a hole down the right.
Argentina scrum-half Simon Benitez Cruz emerged for the closing quarter to make his Newcastle Red Bulls debut as both sides emptied their benches, and the Puma added some late spark with a few neat touches.
But Sale’s power game was still the decisive factor, Nathan Jibulu adding to the visitors’ woes when he scored from the base of a maul in the right corner, followed two minutes from time when Arron Reed dotted down on a supporting line and then with the very last play when Roebuck completed his hat-trick.
Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Ethan Grayson (Oli Spencer, 40), 14 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 13 Connor Doherty (Brett Connon, 46), 12 Max Clark, 11 Alex Hearle, 10 Boeta Chamberlain, 9 James Elliott (Simon Benitez Cruz, 57); 1 Adam Brocklebank (Micky Rewcastle, 71), 2 George McGuigan (captain, Ollie Fletcher, 55), 3 Richard Palframan, 4 Jamie Hodgson, 5 Freddie Clarke (Oscar Usher, 61), 6 Fergus Lee-Warner, 7 Tom Gordon, 8 Amanaki Mafi (Cameron Neild, 46).
Scorers - Tries: Elliott Obatoyinbo.
Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter (Tom O’Flaherty, 55), 14 Tom Roebuck, 13 Rob du Preez, 12 Marius Louw (Sam Bedlow, 61), 11 Arron Reed, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr (Raffi Quirke, 50); 1 Bevan Rodd (Si McIntyre, 53), 2 Luke Cowan-Dickie (Nathan Jibulu, 61), 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour (James Harper, 50), 4 Ben Bamber (Tom Burrow, 55), 5 Hyron Andrews, 6 Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 7 Tristan Woodman, 8 Sam Dugdale (Ethan Caine, 72).
Scorers - Tries: Rob du Preez, Tom Roebuck 3, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Ernst van Rhyn, Nathan Jibulu, Arron Reed. Conversions: George Ford 6.
Referee: Joe James.
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