In what was without a doubt one of the most entertaining games of the weekend, Sale went to the Twickenham Stoop and picked up a bonus-point win as they beat Harlequins 29-19 in a thrilling Heineken Cup encounter.
Harlequins are now bottom of Pool Five after three defeats and will need a miracle to reach the quarter-finals after they were outscored by four tries to three.
The match was played at a high tempo as both sides showed attack intent from the start. It was Sale though who made the first breakthrough with an excellent try in the seventh minute for Dwayne Peel.
Sale then doubled their lead through Nick Macleod, and with both tries having been converted by Charlie Hodgson, they were off to a 14-0 lead.
Harlequins flyhalf, New Zealander Nick Evans, then showed his class as he attacked the line then chipped the defense before regathering to beat the covering Macleod for a great try.
From the kick-off, a loss in concentration led Nick Easter to drop the ball under pressure which allowed David Seymour to pounce on the loose ball and dart away for a try to silence to crowd.
Quins then got back into the game with a lovely try, finished David Strettle, but made by great hands from Chris Robshaw and Chris Brooker in the tightest of spaces.
Four minutes into the second half Easter scored by battering his way over the Sale line for a try that Evans duly converted. Sale then scored another cracking try after some quality passing. This time it was former England winger Ben Cohen who dived over in the corner, scoring his 33rd European try in both competitions.
This match was a breath of fresh air and a great example of how rugby should, and can, be played if both teams have the right attitude going in to it.
Will Greenwood also managed to come up with a rather amusing piece of commentary as he described Charlie Hodgsons run in that last try.
“Hips swivelling.. Which way am I going..? Im dancing. Im a little matador!”
Bill Mclaren eat your heart out.
Time:
05:04
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