Eight days removed from a frustrating season-opening home loss, Alex Sanderson’s sale Sharks took Stone-X’s rarest away win to a loss Saracens 21 – 17.
Built on a foundation of defensive belligerence, the Sharks led by Tom Curry, Joe Marchant and Courtney Lawes struggled against the Saracens attack. Stifling any real chance of getting into their attack, the Sharks overcame a two-man deficit to limit Saracens to just five points at half-time.
Quickly out of the blocks in the second half through a moment of magic from Tom O’Flaherty, the visitors got their tails up.
Sione Va’enuku’s try got the home side back on target three minutes later, but as was the case all afternoon, Sanderson’s side responded through Ben Bamber in the 65th minute.
Setting up a grandstand finish in the 72nd minute, the Bracken brothers found space on the Sharks’ previously stingy fringe defense. Breaking down the right wing Jack Bracken found his older brother Charlie in front of his own Rugby World Cup winning sire Kyran.
Here’s how the Sharks players fared in the second round of the Gallagher PREM.
1. Nicky Smith – 7
He came out on top in a fierce battle during the one-hour shift. When his side was under the pump, the slacker stuck in 8 tackles, including a significant dominant shot.
2. Nathan Jibulu – 9
Clearly an international in the making, the 23-year-old has put up a real fight England regular team member Theo Dan. Charging for the first try on the back of a dominant maul, Jibulu went into his stand early. Carrying this form over to the defensive side of the ball, the whore made 13 tackles fiercely cutting down Sarries’ carriers.
3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour – eight
Another tough outing for the talented young hard-nosed who mostly got the better of his opposites at scrimmage. On the park he was a key feature at the breakdown and made 15 tackles when his side were firmly under the pump.
4. Ernst van Rhyn – 7
He brought an edge to everything he did with plenty of big moves, some solid catches in the lineout and a real presence at the maul moment. While his 5 carries aren’t the most eye-catching of static lines, they were crucial in the Sharks’ ability to get over the line in what was a real hands-down contest.
5. Ben Bamber – 8
Continuing to develop into an all-terrain lock, the former Rugby League standout had a sweet line for his try that drew the normally astute defensive Nick Tompkins. This line combined with his pace and strength gave the Saracens defense no chance of stopping him. By the time he came out, his 6’9″ frame was a nightmare for Saracens, as was his physicality at the breakdown where he won a well-earned loss.
6. Courtney Lawes – 8
The perennial wonder looks like the player he was during his prime. Now 37, Lawes has retained his physicality with unlimited experience and rugby smarts that could prove crucial for the Sharks and dare we say England this season. Four 4 tackles, 8 tackles and 2 turnovers while on the field for 50 minutes is something the veteran shows.
7. Tom Curry – 8.5
From one warrior to another, Curry matched the intensity of Lawes and then some. Winning his own turnover with 21 disposals, 10 catches, Curry was a thorn in Saracens’ side all afternoon. Away from quantifiable stats, Curry like Lawes commands the respect of those around him and you could see the Sharks players rallying around his big plays.
8. Jacques Vermeulen – 3
Given his marching orders in the 17th minute, the avoidable incident will frustrate the South African cop.
9. Gus Warr – 8
After a messy breakdown with authority, the Scotland international took the pressure off his side with a superb forehand. Notching 15 tackles, 56 assists and offering a genuine sniping threat around the breakdown, Warr was unsurprisingly kept for the full 80 by the Sharks coaching staff.
10. George Ford – 7
Another of Sale’s key players in England, Ford once again proved why experience in the pivot is crucial. Throwing out from the first receiver midfield in defensive sets hid him from the impact of the big ball carriers of Saracens. This freed him from direct traffic when his side couldn’t get hold of the ball. When the opportunity arose to clear his lines, Ford along with Warra gained good distance with each shot forcing Sarries to rebuild out of bounds. Sale red zone.
11. Arron Reed – 5
Primarily on kick chase duty, Reed struggled to get into the game offensively. One foot chase in particular stands out as he forced Elliot Daly to clear the ball on the Saracens five yard line. This moment aside, it wasn’t very prominent.
12. Alex Lozowski – 5
Facing his old side, he clearly bit the center who at one point threw the ball at Fergus Burke in frustration after a dunk. Overall, it was a solid performance with 15 tackles, but with another 3 missed, but not as impactful.
13. Joe Marchant – 8
In front of the England coach, Marchant raised his hand for crack in November. Given how disorganized England’s midfield was, a master class for the 30-year-old, 22 defensive tackles was a real statement of intent.
14. Tom O’Flaherty – 8.5
At times, Saracens just couldn’t cope with the Sharks winger. One moment in particular that showed he was in hot form was a shot from midfield. Chasing what looked like a fool’s errand, he went around two of his players and beat a packed Saracens defense to score a try in the opening two minutes of the second half. His 60m carry led the way for his side, while his 4 defenders were beaten and the line break was huge in the context of what was going on back and forth.
15. Joe Carpenter – 7
Extremely busy at the back, Carpenter looked menacing whenever Saracens kicked him. Beating 5 defenders and producing a well-timed turnaround, Carpenter put pressure on Saracens who raced with their feet and provided wide support.
Substitutions – 8
Continuing the suffocating performance of the starters, the six substitutions called upon by Alex Sanderson made a serious impact. Among those replacements, Christ Tshiunza was the star performer with a handful of monstrous carries and won several major timelines.
