By Jonathan Noad
December 29 2003

Sale Sharks won this Christmas Saturday encounter with ease following a typically slow start. Sale still struggling with injuries to key personnel were inspired by world cup winner Jason Robinson playing at centre in place of the injured Graeme Bond. This term Sale like to give themselves a target to aim for and this was again the case. Following a penalty kick from Charlie Hodgson Sale failed to gather the restart and allowed former Orrell stand off Phil Jones to barge over the line and convert his own try. However, this was to be Rotherhams only points of the game. Hodgson back to doing the kicking with Braam van Straaten injured slotted a further penalty between the sticks five minutes later. The Sharks still took some time to step up to full gear but eventually started to dominate the game with continued surges forward. Such was the Sharks dominance that Rotherham were left to conceed penalties with prop Colin Noon being sent to the bin for 10 minutes for interfering with play. During this ten minute period Sale added fourteen more points to their tally.

Sale retained the ball and constantly drove towards the Rotherham line finally the ball popped up to Jason Robinson who sprinted over for a much deserved try following some good breaks earlier. The try was duly converted by Charlie Hodgson. Five minutes later some good work from replacement Bryan Redpath set up Steve Hanley to score with typical power which Hodgson again converted.

Shortly after the break a trademark long pass from Hodgson set up flying emu number eight Chris Jones for an easy score. This was followed shortly after by a further penalty from the boot of Hodgson. Sale were determined to get the bonus point which could prove all important at the end of the season. Were it not for some dogged defending from the Titans Sale would have scored considerably more. Rotherham did their best to stop the Sharks getting their bonus. It wasn’t until injury time that the defence was breached with Chris Jones striding over for his second try of the game which Hodgson converted coolly.

This result will give the Sharks some confidence with some tough games ahead starting with Wasps away. However, some key players may well be back for that one including Bond, van Straaten and one Mr Anglesea. Robinson at centre was fantastic, however, his centre partner youngster Chris Mayor was very impressive both going forward and in defence and gets my man of the match.

SCORING SEQUENCE

3-0 PENK 1 Min (Hodgson)
3-5 TRY 2 Min (Jones)
3-7 CONV 2 Min (Jones)
6-7 PENK 7 Min (Hodgson)
11-7 TRY 29 Min (Robinson)
13-7 CONV 29 Min (Hodgson)
18-7 TRY 35 Min (Hanley)
20-7 CONV 35 Min (Hodgson)

HALF TIME SALE 20 ROTHERHAM 7

25-3 TRY 44 Min (Jones)
28-3 PENK 59 Min (Hodgson)
33-3 TRY 80 Min (Jones)
35-3 CONV 80 Min (Hodgson)

FULL TIME SALE 35 ROTHERHAM 7


TEAMS

SALE SHARKS

Going, Cueto, Mayor, Robinson, Hanley, Hodgson, Walshe, Sheridan, Titterell, Turner, C. Jones, Schofield, White, Pinkerton, Sanderson.
Replacements: Cairns, Yates, Stewart, Day, Lund, Hoyle, Redpath

Scorers: Robinson (1T) Hanley (1T) Jones (2T) Hodgson (3P, 3C)

ROTHERHAM TITANS

Stortoni, Pieters, Jorgensen, Pritchard, Wood, Jones, Raulini, Lloyd, Long, Noon, Gross, van Zyl, Tuiavii, Van Der Merwe, McLeod-Henderson.
Replacements: Keyter, Benson, Easterby, Olkers, Volschenk, Lewis, Johnson.

Scorers: Jones (1T, 1C)

ATTENDANCE: 8,797