The Craic www.londonirish.org - Who'd have believed it?

Who'd have believed it? - Sale Match Report.

Bitten

By OxonRob February 8 2005
Sale lent a large number of players to the Six Nations Championship but still fielded three full internationals in their "depleted" team. Significantly, one of them was Brian Redpath, and he, Steve Hanley and Richard Sheridan virtually ran the game for Sale.

Sale report

The result? 6-9 to Sale, in front of a crowd of 8,125.

Four hours before kick-off the ZP table says it in spades. London Irish are still 8^thwith 27 points, but, on the Six Nations first weekend, the four teams below are catching up fast. If the Exiles want to break clear of the highly competitive melee at the overcrowded foot of the table, this is a match we have to win, and win well. But we have already beaten their full team at their place, haven’t we?

The selections

The mysterious injury to Mike Horak, which prevents him from playing for London Irish but nonetheless permits his selection for England ‘A’ next weekend, allows Delon Armitage to keep his place at 15, arguably on merit. Adrian Flavin at Hooker returns from a long absence with a serious neck injury, along with Paul Sackey, seemingly absent for just as long, for he disappeared from regular first team action after the Wasps debacle. Strudders makes way for Nick Kennedy after the latter’s second half tour de force at Leeds. Rodd Penney is listed to make his debut at 13, and Paul Gustard makes his own return from injury to claim the much-debated No 6 shirt from Dec Danaher, who is quoted by Rugby Times as saying he prefers to play 7. Roland Reid remains on the bench, to the astonishment of many.

London Irish

Neal Hatley, Adrian Flavin, Rob Hardwick, Nick Kennedy, Bob Casey, Paul Gustard, Kieron Dawson, Phil Murphy, Darren Edwards, Mark Mapletoft, Paul Sackey, Mike Catt MBE, Rodd Penney, Scott Staniforth, Delon Armitage

Replacements
Pierre Durant, James Van Der Walt, Kieran Roche, Ryan Strudwick, Roland Reid, Declan Danaher, Justin Bishop

A glance at the announced Sale team suggests that they are not quite so depleted as to be toothless.

Sale

Steve Hanley; Oriol Ripol, Jos Baxendell, Robert Todd, Chris Mayor; Mike Hercus, Bryan Redpath (captain); Andrew Sheridan, Johnny Roddam, Stuart Turner, Christian Day, Dean Schofield, John Carter, Magnus Lund, Pete Anglesea.

Replacements from:

Barry Stewart, Sebastien Bozzi, Pierre Caillet, Sililo Martens, Richard Wigglesworth, John Payne, Andy Titterell.

After the ball is over

The long and the short of it is that Tofty didn’t have his kicking boots on, and having single-handedly booted us into the Powergen Cup Semi-final with seven kicks from seven, his seven missed kicks against Sale were, on paper, the difference between a 6-9 loss and a potential 27-9 victory. To mention this may seem unfair and ungrateful, but it is sadly the truth. However, I am sure that yesterday’s hero is not a villain to many.

A lot has already been written about this match, about whether we were ‘pants’ or indeed played somewhat better and with greater ambition than in recent times. For this reason, rather than write a conventional account taking the reader from start to finish, I thought it might be more interesting to focus on clinical facts in an attempt to analyse what we did well, and what might have been done better. Naturally, being an amateur, I managed to miss a couple of vital details where, in the excitement, I failed to make adequate and decipherable notes. Apologies for being human.

But before we get to stats….

Sale’s favourite ploy seemed to be the rolling maul from a line out, just about every line out, it seemed for a while. We had some considerable difficulty in dealing with these pernicious objects, although thankfully Sale never did to us what we had done to Newcastle.

We never quite learned not to kick down the throat of Steve Hanley, guesting at 15. His huge line kicks did a lot to keep Irish away from the Sale 22. Henson, watch out!

We did recycle some quick ball for a change, and this resulted in some coruscating threequarter movements. However, our possession from both line out and scrum was uneven, and the same can be said of some of our possession from loose play. The Sale backs flirted all afternoon with the offside laws, and while they did get caught a couple of times they largely got away with it and made life hell for their opposite numbers.

IMHO, slow ball (with man attached) was at least part of the cause of our kicking so much for position, something we did not do especially well, as the stats show. This cost us both possession and position on a number of occasions.

Our ball carriers are still infrequently supported by our quicker runners (be they back row or backs) and on several occasions this brought promising breaks to a crashing full stop. When the faster Reid substituted Murphy, it was noticeable that he and Dawson often hunted together, however.

And lastly, MOTM. Gary Gold selected Dawson, who had a very good game. But so also did Kennedy who shone in tight and loose. Catt was firing on all cylinders, as was Armitage. Read the facts which follow and make up your own mind.

The scoring

Irish were awarded 13 penalties and Sale six during the match, but the difference lay in their conversion percentage - two penalties apiece to Mike Hercus and Mark Mapletoft. Hercus also kicked an outrageous drop goal on 40 minutes which proved to be the final difference. It was outrageous because it was from the other side of the ten metre line and it flew in a flat trajectory, the entire way, from boot to cross-bar.

Scrums

Sale were awarded 13 scrums for London Irish offences: Knock-ons by Murphy, Catt, Gustard, Reid, Staniforth, Tofty, Dawson and Anon; for Sackey holding on; a Catt kick off direct to touch; coming across in a line out and two for unknown decisions.

London Irish were awarded eight scrums for Sale offences: Holding on in the tackle, a re-set of a wheeled scrum; a Hercus knock-on, two line out offences and three unknown decisions.

Line Outs

We pinched four of theirs cleanly via Nick Kennedy. We actually won five but lost our possession of the fifth one, when the Sale forwards drove over our tapped back ball. Sale did not steal a single Irish line out.

Our attacks

4	Our first attack. Sackey collects Catt’s drop out from the 22, and the ball passes to Edwards to Tofty and along the line via Catt to Casey who drives up, offloading from the tackle to Hatley who rumbles a bit further before passing in turn to Tofty and Armitage, who are now in traffic on the left touchline. The ensuing ruck produces a Penalty to Irish. Missed.
6	In the very next move Sale’s long drop out is taken by Murphy and passed to Armitage, who moves left at speed, and finds Catt steaming up the left touch. The ball comes in and a ruck forms, still in our half. Suddenly Sackey breaks right haring for the line. I reckon that last year he would have gone the whole way on his own, but this time he had the estimable Bob Casey running on his outside – which almost proves my point! Bob took Paul’s pass on the 22. He was swiftly grounded but retained possession, which was ultimately recycled to Murphy who rumbled back up the middle, only to be recalled by the referee who was playing a curious version of Advantage. Tofty missed the penalty.
11	Tofty misses a drop goal.
13	Line out ball comes down the line to Dawson who ignores Sackey’s run on the inside angle. The ball goes left and up the touchline with the assistance of Tofty and Penney, and something like a running ruck develops! Tofty passes to Edwards and on to Catt who hurls a dreadful pass to Dawson along the deck. At some stage Sale must have transgressed since LI get a penalty which Catt kicks to touch.
16	Murph bursts onto Sale line out ball and gives it to Dawson who grubbers, recobers his own kick and sens a bouncing pass towards Staniforth. Hatley intercepts and gets it to Catt who jinks left and right and goes up the middle with Flavin and then Sackey who is tackled by Ripol. The Ref signals Advantage to LI, but Tofty misses the kick at goal.
27	Sackey collects a Hanley kick to the corner, passes to Armitage who breaks, before passing to Tofty who chips to the left corner for Staniforth who just fails to get the touch-down. (He confirmed afterwards that Ripol got there first.)
29	Murphy picks up a missed Sale defensive touch kick, and hurtles over their 22. The ball moves right to Tofty, to Catt and then to Armitage who hands on to Penney, who jinks this way and that before going to ground. Sale are offside.
30	Penalty. We take a short one, and commence a four minute period of intense pressure on the Sale line. Staniforth goes with the Penalty ball but is dragged down short of the line. We move the ball left towards touch, and Gustard is hauled down, again just short. The pack piles body onto body and various individuals attempt the final yeard of space to no avail. Another penalty for Sale offside is kicked into the adjacent corner, and from the line out Hardwick emerges, breaking right. He is alone and spills the ball in a heavy tackle.
43	Following an Irish line out, Catt breaks up the middle. Edwards gets ragged ball from the ruck to Tofty who attempts a drop goal once more but has his kick charged down. We retain possession and move it through Staniforth up the right wing, and then back towards the middle via Catt and Dawson, and so to Armitage who hares up the left touchline but comes to grief in the Sale 22, retaining possession however. The ball finally reaches Sackey in the centre and on to Catt who breaks right, finding Hatley who offloads from the tackle back to Catt who then loses the ball, in his view to illegal interference.
48	Dawson breaks up the middle from our 22 with an opponent hanging onto his shirt and being taken for the ride. He makes it as far as the Sale 22 before passing to Penney, who is tackled almost as he receives the ball.
56	Edwards fires a fast flat pass from a line out straight to Catt who half breaks. Gussie recovers the ball from the breakdown and gets it to Kennedy going left. He also is tackled. A flip pass to Sackey from Edwards has been telegraphed and Sackey receives man and ball together.
57	From a LI scrum on the Sale 22, Murphy picks and goes, passing in to Edwards who ships the ball to Catt, who lets Tofty have it. He also receives a pair of tacklers, but gets the ball back to Murphy who makes ground up the right touchline and then comes infield, getting the ball to Tofty who passes to Staniforth who is tackled. Tofty gets a good touch in the corner.
60	Sale offend at their own line out, and our scrum is camped on the five metre line well inside the Sale 22. Murphy goes open with the ball, but the ref calls him back and resets the scrum. Sale know what to expect by now, and Murphy meets opposition second time around. Edwards passes to Gustard who is steaming for the posts and drops a perfectly good pass.
65	Armitage fields a Hercus kick into the Irish half. He comes up and passes to Catt who passes on to Staniforth running a line, who passes back to Armitage, now running up the left. The ball goes back down the line where Catt comes in and offloads to Kennedy and Gustard who goes over the 22. Edwards goes blind, and gets the ball to Sackey in time for him to be tackled again. The ball is lost in contact.
66	Armitage fields a Redpath box kick, and charges through three or four tackles until he is finally brought down. The ball comes back from the ruck to Dawson, then to Tofty and Staniforth who nearly breaks through. We are working it right and left across the field on the Sale 10 metre line, but not making any ground. Staniforth passes to Kennedy on the burst, however, but Tofty is taken by the enemy and a scrum is awarded to Irish. Tofty sens Penney a miss pass, and he breaks before being tackled. We go blind and Hardwick has a solo foray before passing on to Casey, who lays it back for Edwards. Edwards passes at ankle height to Reid coming up fast in the middle and looking to score.
83	Strudwick takes a kick ahead in our 22 and passes to Armitage who chips and regathers. Sadly he is tackled just short of the Sale 22, but gets the ball to Tofty who finds Catt and so to Dawson who knocks on.

How effective were our field kicks?

In Attack
10 mins	Edwards box kicks direct to Hanley who breaks wide at speed, starting a move which ends up in our half.
13 mins	Catt kicks for right corner but finds the 14 who passes to Hanley who gets a big touch.
16 mins	Edwards box kicks for Sackey who nearly gets it, but the ball runs into touch.
17 mins	Dawson grubbers and recovers own kick.
19 mins	Catt goes for long touch, but misses and Sale find touch themselves.
21 mins	Delon does an Up-and-Under but cannot follow his own kick due to injury. Sale run it back to our ten metre line.
26 mins	Catt misses touch but Hanley’s Up-and-Under goes to Tofty, who runs it.
27	Sackey collects a Hanley kick to the corner, passes to Armitage who breaks, before passing to Tofty who chips to the left corner for Staniforth who just fails to get the touch-down. (He confirmed afterwards that Ripol got there first.)
33	Our line out ball reaches Tofty who kicks long to Hanley, who kicks back to Armitage who chips it straight into Sale hands. They advance into our 22 and win a penalty, which Hercus converts.
41	Catt kicks for left corner, but misses and Hanley finds touch on halfway.
54	Tofty chips into right corner.
58	Tofty chips into left corner
63	Catt finds a long touch on the right.
72 mins	Catt kicks for left corner, where the ball is marked and returned to Tofty in our 22, who knocks on for no apparent reason.
74	Sackey returns Hanley’s long kick with interest. Hercus is caught, but retains possession.
75 mins	Catt finds a good long touch on the right
78	Catt kicks up the middle and Strudwick chases like a giraffe on speed, but Hanley just has time to find a safe touch.
79	Catt presumably goes for the right corner but the ball finds the dead ball area instead.
83	Armitage chips and goes, taking his own kick on the full but slipping, thus allowing self to be tackled. Would probably have scored.
87	Tofty chips into the Sale 22. Hanley gathers but is promptly nailed. One phase later we are penalised.
In defence
30 secs	Tofty kicks to 14, who passes to Hanley, who kicks long to Armitage who kicks to Hercus who chips to Edwards who finds touch!
3 mins	Edwards box kicks direct to 14 who runs it up, is tackled and we are penalised for going over the top of the ruck. (Kick missed)
10 mins	Catt finds touch.
23 mins	Catt finds touch.
38	Catt finds touch
44	Tofty finds touch.
50	Tofty finds touch
74 mins	Catt kicks infield from the wing. Hanley returns the kick to Dawson in our 22 who grubbers into touch over the ten metre line.
80	Tofty finds touch.

The Penalty Story

	Awarded to	Why awarded	What happened
FIRST HALF
3	Sale	Over top in ruck.	Hercus missed the kick.
5	Irish	Hands in ruck	Tofty misses. Flav, Catt, Sackey and Hatley all chased the kick hard.
7	Irish	?	Tofty misses badly. Again, well followed up.
10	Sale	Casey ‘leaning’ in the line out	Short one. Prop Turner takes it up. Hardwick stops him on our 22, but is penalised for not allowing release of ball.
10	Sale	Not releasing	0-3. Hercus.
13	Irish	?	Catt finds touch on Sale 22. A knock on in the threes allows Sale advantage and they boot it into touch.
24	Irish	Not allowing release of ball by Tofty.	Tofty misses another simple one.
29	Irish	Threes offside in their 22.	Short one, taken quickly. Staniforth scragged, but we retain possession and press the Sale line.
30	Irish	Something in the ruck	Tofty kicks into the corner from three feet. Hardwick goes alone after the line out, and spills the ball in the tackle.
34	Sale	Hands in the ruck	0-6. Hercus.
45	Irish	Offside	3-9. Tofty
SECOND HALF
42	Irish	Sale 8 binned for stamping	6-9. Tofty
49	Sale	Preventing release of the ball	Redpath finds touch short of halfway. Rolling maul from line out, we nail Hanley in possession and Redpath clears to touch.
54	Irish	Over the top in a ruck	Short one. After backplay Tofty finds long touch on the right.
71	Irish	Preventing release of ball by Reid	Tofty misses from 10 metre line in the middle.
82	Irish	Offside	Catt finds touch, but Casey is pinged in the line out for ‘leaning’.
88	Sale	Preventing release of ball	Sale find touch, but throw to the front and the catcher goes into touch, reversing the line out award.
89	Irish	?	Short one in our half. Strudwick takes it up, and the ball goes down the line to be turned over. Hercus fails with a drop goal attempt, and that is that.

Turnovers and knock-ons

	By	Who did what
9	Sale	Baxendall spills it, and LI play the advantage.
14	Irish	Knock on by ? and Sale play advantage.
19	Irish	Murphy on the burst can’t hold a Kennedy pass.
28	Irish	Sale turn over our drive, but kick possession away.
31	Irish	Hardwick spills ball in tackle
45	Irish	Catt claims the ball was illegally knocked from his hand. The Ref does not agree.
46	Irish	An anonymous threequarter on the other side of the pitch!
60	Irish	Edwards pass to Gustard in front of their posts. Gustard drops it, and looks embarrassed. A likely try.
65	Irish	Sackey loses the ball in contact
67	Irish	Edwards passes to Reid’s ankles in front of the Sale posts, with Reid getting up a head of steam. A likely try.
69	Irish	Staniforth knocks on a decent Armitage pass on a crowded touchline, at speed.
70	Sale	Hercus knocks on when not under pressure.
73	Irish	Tofty knocks on a kick ahead.
83	Irish	Dawson knocks on in contact

In conclusion I can only say that if we try, try and try again I very much doubt that we could repeat this result on another day if we play as we did on Sunday.

The score board doesn’t lie, and I begrudge Sale nothing, but I am sure that our piscine friends from up north won’t mind if I suggest that the better team lost.

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