By Sarah
April 24 2002

With the Parker Pen Shield semi-final against Gloucester approaching this weekend, it is time to get excited and remember how great it feels to win! For this time five years ago Sale had one of their finest hours in the Pilkie Cup semi against Harlequins. 29th March 1997: A fantastic all round team performance saw Sale defeat Harlequins in the Pilkington Cup semi-final at Heywood Road, setting themselves up for a Twickenham encounter against Leicester. Sale put three tries past a Quins team plagued by poor passing and terrible catching.

The backs get the glory with all the tries and try-saving tackles, but Sale's forwards easily had the measure of the experienced Quins pack. Dave Baldwin and John Fowler provided reliable line-out ball. Dewi Morris proved invaluable as usual but it was Dylan O'Grady who got picked out as Man of the Match by Stuart Barnes.

Just five minutes into the game, Sale came close to scoring after John Mitchell was tackled metres from the tryline and, on his back, passed to Simon Mannix who was running round towards the left wing. Mannix would have been over if he hadn't put a foot into touch. There was consolation for Sale however: in the following line-out, Quins were penalised for driving into the opposition. Mannix put the three points away despite the blustery wind.

Sale gave away a soft penalty just after the restart which Thierry Lacroix kicked successfully. But a couple of minutes later we were on the attack again as Jim caught a Quins clearance kick. Sale moved the ball across to Adrian Hadley who carved a path through the Quins defence, finally offloading to Dylan O'Grady. There was a charge to the line and O'Grady just had enough pace to beat Quins full-back Cabanne, bouncing over the line under the posts. The conversion was a formality and Sale went seven points ahead.

Quins fought back, forcing Sale to defend for minutes on end, and in the nineteenth minute Spencer Bromley would have scored had it not been for David Rees' huge try saving tackle. Sale strayed offside in the aftermath and gave away a penalty which Lacroix slotted away from a difficult angle. He missed a drop goal a little while later but Quins' biggest howler came in the 34th minute. Lacroix made a little break through Sale's defensive line and offloaded to Carling who gifted Mensah the try by passing to him when he was about two yards from the line. But astonishingly Mensah dropped the ball and fluffed the score, leaving Quins fans distraught.

Sale managed to capitalise on Quins' lack of concentration following the incident and Jim Mallinder scored a brilliant try from his own half - Dewi Morris plucked the ball from a maul and moved it to Hadley who swung a high pass over Mensah's head, reaching Jim Mallinder perfectly. Jim kicked up his heels and sprinted from behind the half way line, just outrunning Challinor to the try line. The crowd were ecstatic. Mannix didn't get the conversion but in injury time he kicked a penalty to send Sale 18-6 ahead at the break.

Quins came out for second half looking dangerous and in no time at all they had recovered three points from a penalty. Sale got another scare as Lacroix chipped towards the tryline putting his side in a good position to score; Jos turned back and wrapped up the ball but it was looking dangerous for a moment. Mannix kicked a penalty for Sale in the 49th minute and Lacroix tried and failed to cancel it out with a drop goal a couple of minutes later.

Tom Beim scored a wonderful opportunist try in the 53 minute as Quins, on the attack deep in Sale's half, fumbled their passes. Cabanne and Challinor were the guilty parties but Beim had no hesitation in picking up the dropped ball and putting on a lovely turn of pace to accelerate out of reach of his pursuers, crossing the line with a jubilant arm whirling celebration. The conversion went wide.

Quins did not give up their attacking but Sale's defence held up well, with try saving tackles coming from Rees and Jos Baxendell despite the distraction of a bikini-clad streaker in the 74th minute. The pressure eventually told, however, as Quins took the ball at a line-out close to the tryline and drove over. Gareth Llewellyn was credited with the try and Lacroix converted.

The ten point lead was enough of a cushion for Sale to cruise to the end of the match but there was still a frigtening moment in injury time as O'Leary nearly broke clear down the right wing. Hadley tackled him just before he got to the line and it turned out to be the last action of the match as Tony Spreadbury blew his whistle on a famous Sale victory.

Sale team: Mallinder (capt), Rees, Baxendell, Hadley, Beim, Mannix, Morris, Winstanley, Diamond, A. Smith, Fowler, Baldwin, Erskine, O'Grady, Mitchell.

Harlequins: Challinor, O'Leary, Mensah, Carling (Keyter, 67), Bromley, Lacroix, Harries (Walshe, 66), Benezech, Billups (Dalaney, 33), Leonard (capt), Snow (Allison, 61), G Llewellyn, Jenkins, Cabannes, Davison.