Try a little tenderness…

At the end of a week in which Sale lost 2 important matches, its Premiership defensive record and suffered 3 appalling injuries, you’d be forgiven for thinking this Sharks fan might be more than a tad depressed. Strangely though, that’s not how I feel. Obviously I’m gutted that we’ve lost 3 key players for a considerable time at a point in the season where it’s definitely time for all hands on deck. This is particularly so in the case of Coxy: he’s been a defensive rock all season and is a born leader with the credentials you suspect to lead the team at some stage in the future.

Yet yesterday’s performance by the team that was written off on paper against Cardiff and the outstanding contributions of the younger lads, particularly Halsall, Fearns and Tait, has left me with a new found sense of optimism and buoyancy. There is hope and a light at the end of the tunnel – and no, before you jump to any misguided conclusions, it’s not an approaching express train, though with Clermont and Munster imminent maybe you might have a point there.

The Madejski Stadium has never been a happy hunting ground as far as I’m concerned. I know we beat them a couple of years back when Stan sneaked over for a couple of poacher’s tries at the bitter end, but by and large, we tend to leave disappointed and deflated. Most of my trips down there have been depressing, none more so than last year: that particular game for me was as demoralising as the loss at HQ to the Falcons in the Powergen Final, and the capitulation in San Sebastien. The team didn’t show up last January and were given the run-around by what was actually a pretty ordinary London Irish side at that time.

On the face of it, having lost this season’s match and shipped 4 tries you’d probably be expecting me to be reaching for the cut-throat. Funnily that’s not how I felt as I shuffled out of the sparsely populated stadium. Don’t get me wrong – I was bitterly disappointed because I thought, like many others that that was a match we were sure to win, but I wasn’t depressed. I was actually inspired. Yes inspired, though in fairness I have to confess that the inspiration came from watching an Exile’s performance that was professional, clinical and superb. They bossed the match for the majority of the game and showed just how you can play controlled and exciting rugby. Most other teams bemoan the ELVs and blame them for all the faults and failings within the game: London Irish embrace them and grab the game by the scruff of the neck, demonstrating that it is possible to make the new regulations work for you and still produce rugby that sets the heart racing.

Whether you love or loathe these new experimental laws, the one thing that is indisputable is that they’ve changed the way the game is played. As far as I can see you’ve only got 3 ways to play now: you either kick for territory and keep the ball alive and hope that the opposition drop a clanger, or you kick for touch, providing you’re in your own 22 and the ball hasn’t been passed back into it, or you throw caution to the wind and run the ball out of your own 22.

That you may think isn’t any different than it used to be, save that most teams tended to utilise a mixture of all the various options. The fundamental difference though, is the stricter interpretation of the rule about going off your feet at the breakdown. When other teams infringe then this ‘ruck fundamentalism’ is the best thing since sliced bread: when it goes against you, well, then frankly it’s a nonsense and officiating gone mad. Anyway, teams have to adapt their game plan depending on the opposition they’re facing. Against Gloucester and Sarries, kicking for field position worked well enough whilst not exactly proving particularly attractive to watch. Sale tried to run the ball more against Bristol and Newcastle: granted it didn’t have the crowd swinging from the rafters but it was effective. Whatever you may think about the tactics, the end I guess justifies the means: 4 games played and 4 wins. You can’t really argue with that. The Exiles though are a completely different kettle of fish.

If you kick for territory and don’t find touch, annoyingly the Notnots have the temerity to run it straight back at you: Delon, Ojo, Tagicakibau, Elvis, Mapasua, Hewat and Hodgson are lethal on the counter attack, so it’s probably best not to give it to them. If you opt for kicking to touch then the deadly duo of Casey and Kennedy will more than likely win their own set piece or disrupt your own and put you on the back foot as soon as not. So, you’re left with just the one option – run the ball out of your own 22 and use the power of your forwards and the pace of your backline. Sadly, you hit a problem there as well: the Irish rush defence is up and in your face before you can blink. Mapasua, Elvis and Steffon Armitage, let alone the rest of the forwards play right on the edge and smash anything that comes their way. If the ball goes to ground you’re no better of either, as Steffon hits those rucks like an express train. So whatever game plan you opt for, you’re caught between a rock and a hard place.

Sale opted to run the ball whenever it was on and tried to make headway by taking the ball through the phases and gaining territory. Thankfully for once the referee tried to let the game flow. Whenever it was called for, Charlie would punt the ball into space behind the advancing Irish backline or launch a bomb down Armitage’s throat: Delon though looked very comfortable under the high ball even when pressurised by McAlister or Bell, and always had support on hand to get the ball out and into space.

For the first 15 minutes the game was evenly balanced. Any attacking Irish threat was snubbed out by Sale’s mean and effective defence. Even the marauding Mapasua couldn’t find a way past Big Mac and Seabass. At the other end any attacking opportunities were dealt with brutally by Mapasua and Steffon. The scrum just about held its own though both Big Ted and Stuey Turner were having problems with Lea’aetoa and particularly young Corbisiero. Sale’s line outs were steady and providing the percentage ball was called at either 2 or 3 in the set piece, possession was generally assured, though little could be done with the clean ball as Mapasua and Elvis were in Peel’s face as soon as he tried to shift the ball out. Seabass managed to turn over one Irish set piece much to the astonishment of the Irish fans I sat with. However, he also turned over a couple of his own throws when the long ball to the back of the line out was tried. It was all pretty even until that point with the only difference being a Hewat penalty when Sale were pinged for not driving straight at a 15 metre defensive scrum.

Irish began to up the ante after that. It was almost as if they’d used the opening quarter to sound out Sale’s defence and spot any potential weaknesses. Hewat playing at stand off, and looking far more effective than when he plays at 15, began to exert more and more of an influence. He stands flat like Charlie, and latched onto the quick ball from Paul Hodgson at each breakdown getting the pill out to the flanks. Our own esteemed fly half couldn’t exert as great an influence in the second quarter as Sale were on the backfoot. At defensive scrums he took up his position at full back whilst McAlister covered the 10 channel and any potential breaks from either Steffon or Hala’ufia. It’s effective, of that there’s no doubt and it does offer him some protection, but it comes at a cost. Sale’s counter-attacking game has suffered this season because he’s playing so deep.

Whenever the opportunity presented itself, Sale were quick to take advantage and run the ball, and were rewarded for their endeavour with a penalty when Irish were pinged for not binding at the scrum . Unfortunately things started to go pear-shaped and basic errors began to creep into their game: there were too many knock ons, missed first up tackles and the ball was often spilled in contact, though with the force and ferociousness of Mapasua and Steffon’s tackling, I suppose that’s hardly surprising. The Saxon’s flanker covered every inch of turf and proved beyond doubt that he isn’t just a human wrecking ball – he’s got good hands and has lots to offer offensively. Irish’s counter-rucking game was superb and they always committed the numbers at the breakdown, usually emerging with the ball. It wasn’t only the big units who did this though: Ojo and Delon got into the thick of it whenever there was a threat in their own 22 or a sniff of an opportunity in the Sale half.

For all this attacking Irish menace, Sale’s defence stood firm and resolute. The Exiles worked the ball from one side of the park to the other but couldn’t find a way through. Hewat opted for the drop goal when it became obvious that even the combined force of Steffon and Lea’aetoa wasn’t going to breach that defensive unit. Then the wheel came off in the 37th minute.

Briggsy was pinged for not throwing straight into a 5 metre defensive line out. Irish moved the ball quickly through the scrum and attacked down the blind side. They were almost in when Chris Bell killed the ball and prevented what you’d guess was a certain score. Or that’s what it looked like. My attention and everyone else in the East stand was drawn to Coxy who went down badly as the scrum righted itself. It was obvious that the injury was serious and it was terribly saddening to watch him hobble from the field: he’s been a stand out performer this year and will be greatly missed over the next few months. Actually, forget the future; he was missed there and then as Sale’s game went to pieces after that.

By the time he’d left the field I think most people had forgotten Bell’s little act of villainy, except of course the bloke with the whistle. He gave him 10 minutes in the bin and the rest is history.  Irish opted for the line out from the penalty not surprisingly, and Casey took the clean ball. Lea’aetoa and Corbisiero drove the ball forwards and Thorpe peeled off the back of the ruck and drove over in the corner. Hewat couldn’t convert from the angle, but it mattered not as you suspected the damage had already been done. Sale’s defensive record was smashed and Irish eyes were smiling at the prospect of a 9 minute slot in the second period against a depleted and back-peddling Sharks side. Even a late Charlie penalty for an Irish offside couldn’t really put a gloss on it. Technically yes, they were still in with a shout, but you kind of sensed the worst.

By and large the first few minutes of the second period were pretty much one way traffic. Sale defended manfully and bodies were put on the line, but there was a sense of inevitability about what was about to come. Sale’s handling got worse as the pressure increased. The scrum suffered and stuttered. Big Ted couldn’t get his considerable frame under the slightly ‘smaller’ Lea’aetoa and couldn’t drive up and through him. Consequently he was pinged constantly by Mr Rowden for either not getting the bind or taking the scrum down. Whether it was fair or not depends on who you support, but the guy with the whistle always wins. On the tight head side, Stuey was being given the run around by the 20 year old, New York born, under 20 international, Alex Corbisiero. He was a menace both in the set piece and in the loose: another little gem unearthed by Toby Booth.

Irish were awarded a penalty just inside the Sharks’ half after Ormsby had dropped onto a hacked punt from Delon: he managed to keep his fingers, just, but found himself isolated and was penalised for holding on. Hewat cleared to touch and Irish took play up into Sale’s 10 metres. It seemed odd to make a substitution at such a crucial juncture. Rory replaced Doc and Bruno came on at hooker. Briggsy was probably knackered and had been here, there and everywhere, but his line out throwing had been accurate by and large. Bruno’s throwing has been hit and miss for much of the season. When you’re under the cosh so close to your own line, you know that safety is the priority: play the percentage ball, retain possession and clear your lines. You don’t throw long and try to run it. So what did Sale do? You guessed it – it went long over the top of Chabal and was turned over. Irish smashed into the ruck and recycled the ball, spinning it out wide onto the left flank and neither Bruno nor Charlie could stop Hewat form touching the ball down. Bruno got smashed and is out for months with a bicep tear and Charlie got into a fight. Now that’s something you rarely see and was probably indicative of how frustrated Sale were becoming.

Briggsy was back on after barely 2 minutes and Thomas replaced the ineffective Tait who’d cut a lonely and isolated figure at full back. In fairness he hardly saw the ball and is probably still settling in with his new team mates, but you expect more from a player of his stature. Hopefully that will come sooner rather than later. Rory added a sense of urgency to Sale’s attacking play when he moved to 15 and was a threat whenever he ran the ball. He’s a natural full back who knows when its on, but also knows when to clear his lines. He gave Sale the cutting edge that had been missing. Unfortunately, even when Sale were back to 15 these rare attacking forays went unrewarded as handling errors let the Sharks down. The body count started to mount as first Seabass went down with an injury, followed by Schoey and big Mac.

Seabass managed to get to his feet and looked well and truly fired up. In spite of the punishment he was receiving and the bad calls he got from the assistant ref for a blatant trip and an obvious obstruction, he still ran the ball at the Exiles whenever possible. He was eventually taken off and replaced by Abraham, which is probably just as well as he was getting somewhat peeved at our friend running the lines and his inability to spot the obvious. Roberts replaced Stuey who looked dead on his feet after being run ragged by Corbisiero.
 
It was the young gun who struck next and it was probably rather fitting. It might’ve been only his fifth first team game, yet he showed fantastic potential. He latched onto a ball 10 metres from the Sale line, after a great arching break fro Delon and superb support work from Mapasua. Sale missed the first tackle on him as he barged towards the line and then proceeded to miss 2 more. It was a deserved try in the light of the amount of work he’d put in on the night. It could’ve been worse moments later when Sale desperately tried to get the ball forward as quickly as possible. Cueto floated out a long, looping pass to Charlie but it was intercepted by that man Mapasua again. Had Ojo been able to hold onto the ball, he would’ve been in because no one had the pace to match him.

You knew what was coming and on balance it was only deserved, but that fourth try was inevitable. McAlister went down again with a heavy blow to the knee and Schoey took a big bang to the back. Both should probably have left the field, but all the replacements save Wiggy had been used. Now I know he’s Mr Versatile – but donkey row? I think not.

Big Mac went onto the wing out of harms way, but was clearly in trouble and not fit for purpose by then. It was his missed first up tackle on Tagicakibau that led to the final try of the night, though the winger also evaded tackles by Charlie and Thomas. It was just reward for a complete performance and richly deserved as Irish were superior in all aspects, and made a reasonable Sale team look poor even though they weren’t as bad as a lot of people thought – they were simply outclassed on the night.

Even with only 14 men on the pitch after McAlister had hobbled off, Sale still had the chance to get on the score board. A superb looping run from Rory and some great link up play between Charlie and Lee Thomas, gifted the ball to Briggsy yards from the Irish try line, but sadly he didn’t have the legs and knocked on in a desperate effort to grab for the ball. It could’ve been a score, but it wouldn’t have made any difference.

So another year and another defeat at the Madejski. One day I’m sure we’ll win down there and I’d better be there when it happens. I can’t really complain about the result as the better team won. All you can do is congratulate the Exiles and show respect for a team that plays with initiative and endeavour.  You’ve also got to doff your cap to their fitness conditioner: if he can keep Big Bob Casey running for 80 minutes, then he knows his stuff. They’ll turn over most visiting teams if they perform like that. I take heart from the performance of the younger lads in the Cardiff match at the weekend and am delighted to see that Chris Jones is fit and raring to go again.

It’s off to Claremont next and a very tough, challenging encounter. It’ll be hard, of that there’s no doubt, but it is do-able. Come on Sale – do it, not just for the team and the supporters, do it for Coxy, Bruno and Ripol: show the French that you can play with the pomp and precision of London Irish.


Check out Joe90's blog at http://joe90column.blogspot.com/

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