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SALE SHARKS and England fly half Charlie Hodgson was man of the match as he single-handedly guided the Cheshire side to their first Guinness Premiership Championship title in the rain at Twickenham today.
Hodgson was in outstanding form blasting 24 points between the uprights with five penalties, three conversions and a drop-goal while also creating a dazzling try for wing Oriol Ripol to sign off his season in style.
The Sale man and current England incumbent of the No.10 shirt is excused touring duties this Summer but, on today’s form, can now relax and enjoy his rest knowing he’s the top fly half in the land.
Hodgson carried his side with his kicking for touch or into space that kept Tigers firmly on the back paw and who were never able to launch their pacey back division who just had to stand and watch the scoreline mount against them.
Up front Sharks also showed their teeth with some tremendous work from the likes of the back row pair of Magnus Lund and Jason White, lock Chris Jones and hooker Andy Titterrell.
Sharks coach Philippe Saint-Andre said afterwards: “We deserved our win today. We won the European Shield last year and to win the Guinness Championship now is fantastic for the club and the players.
“They are a great side and have the winning habit.”
“I’ve told the players they must work hard and not be selfish and in the last two years they’ve become fitter and stronger in their game especially in the contact area and I’m very pleased with the way the game went today.”
Disappointed Tigers coach Pat Howard commented: “I’m obviously disappointed about today. I know it’s all about margins but I don’t think the score reflects the game or how we played, but they were the better team.”
Sharks took the lead after just 162 seconds when their early pressure in the opening minutes forced Tigers back into their own half and produced a penalty for Hodgson to open his account with a 36 metre kick from the left.
TMO Geoff Warren then became the busiest man in the match as no less then three tries in 14 minutes all went upstairs by referee Dave Pearson for critical video examination.
First England wing Mark Cueto snapped up a ball from Hodgson’s kick ahead that was knocked on to his leg by Tigers full back Geordan Murphy and bounced over the line for Cueto to touch down.
Tigers immediately replied from the restart as Sharks surrendered the ball and flanker Lewis Moody slid over the line from Ollie Smith’s short kick ahead on the right that required Warren’s approval before Andy Goode could convert.
And, in the 17th minute, a break from Sharks lively scrum half Richard Wrigglesworth and a lose ball that Goode failed to control allowed Lund to go over in the corner for Pearson to again enlist Warren’s help.
Leading 13-7 Hodgson banged over a penalty on the half-hour only for Tigers to add one from Goode two minutes later before Sharks finished the half with the try of the match created by Hodgson.
He was going to go for a drop-goal on the Tigers 22 but, in a flash, saw a gap in the Tigers defence and with a shimmy broke the Tigers defencive line to send Ripol powering in for the touchdown that he then converted to put Sharks 23-10 ahead at the break.
Goode gave Tigers hope with a penalty three minutes into the second half but Sharks responded magnificently bottling up the ever-changing Tigers line-up as Hodgson stabbed home penalties in the 37th, 48th and 63rd minutes before adding a drop-goal two minutes later to put his side out of sight leading 35-13.
A try for replacement James Hamilton off his skipper Martin Corry’s drive from a short range penalty gave Tigers some hope only for Hodgson to bang over his fifth penalty for a 38-20 lead two minutes from time.
And it was Sharks who sent their fans into delirium by capping their afternoon with a final breakaway try from replacement centre Chris Mayor converted by another of their subs Valentin Courrent to end the match.
Sale Sharks: Robinson(c); Cueto, Taylor, Seveali’l, Ripo; Hodgson, Wigglesworth; Faure, Titterrell, Turner; Lobbe, Jones; White, Lund, Chabal. Reps - Bruno, Stewart, Schofield, Day, Foden, Courrent, Mayor.
Leicester Tigers: Murphy; Tuilagi, Smith, Gibson, Varndell; Goode, Ellis; Rowntree, Chuter, White; Cullen, Kay; Jennings, Moody, Corry. Reps – Buckland, Holford, Hamilton, L Deacon, Healey, Lloyd, Vesty.
Ref – D Pearson |
