Salvation appears just a day away for Leeds even though Sale kept them rooted
to the foot of the Premiership table at Heywood Road on Wednesday night.
Winger Mark Cueto grabbed a double and fly-half Charlie Hodgson's accurate
boot added six kicks as Sale overturned an early 10-point deficit to book their
place in next season's Heineken Cup.
London Irish's defeat at Newcastle on Wednesday ensures a top three finish for the
Parker Pen Shield finalists and entry into Europe's premier competition for the
first time.
But for Leeds the big story is set to come at Twickenham on Thursday when it is
expected to be announced that National League champions Rotherham have been
denied entry to the top flight by England Rugby Limited.
The reasons for the Yorkshire club's omission are likely to be spurious but
that will matter little to the Tykes who have excelled themselves in the early
part of the season, only to fade dramatically during the campaign's later
stages.
Tonight's reverse marked their sixth successive defeat and an end of season
basement berth looks certain despite Bath's equally dire recent form.
Tykes coach Phil Davies had stressed to his players that any talk of a
relegation reprieve must be put out of their minds. And the determination to
avoid ending the campaign bottom of the table was evident in a first quarter
display equal to any produced by the Tykes since the turn of the year.
Charl Marais' poor line-out throw allowed Leeds to steal possession close to
the home line, and when Braam van Straaten exchanged passes with his former
Springbok team-mate Japie Mulder, the Sale defence opened enough for winger
Chris Hall to glide through two despairing tackles before crashing over the
line.
Van Straaten converted, then added a penalty to put his side 10 points clear
with barely six minutes on the clock.
Hodgson had not enjoyed the best of evenings to that point, failing to find
touch with two penalties and looking sloppy in his distribution.
All very worrying for a man who will carry out England's pivotal fly-half
duties in Argentina this summer, but manager Clive Woodward need not be too
concerned, as the Yorkshireman quickly returned to top form and overturned the
visitors' lead.
Lock Iain Fullarton drove into the heart of the Leeds defence, and Hodgson's
wide pass to Anthony Elliott gave the winger just enough space to squeeze in at
the corner.
Hodgson was unable to convert but with Sale committed to an expansive game, he
was starting to find spaces in the flagging Tykes rearguard.
However, after sending number eight Pete Anglesea through a gap with a
beautifully delayed pass, Hodgson didn't need a second invitation to send Cueto
over with a long, looping pass which left the Leeds line unattended.
This time Hodgson did land the extra two points to put his team in front and
for a while it appeared Leeds would be swamped by the continual home attacking.
Jason Robinson had a couple of darts but failed to find a gap, although the
Lions star did find himself on the deck after being caught before landing on
three separate occasions after taking successive Stephen Bachop bombs.
However, Leeds clung on, with Bachop and Scott Benton both failing with drop
goal chances before Van Straaten's scruffy 45 metre penalty flapped over in
stoppage time to give the visitors a narrow interval lead.
The advantage lasted just five minutes into the second period, although the
Tykes will question the apparent knock-on before Scotland skipper Bryan Redpath
darted over direct from the base of a scrum.
Hodgson landed the conversion, then three penalties in five minutes and
suddenly Sale were in the clear. The latter stages went by with a flash of
running rugby.
Leeds' James Ponton and Sale replacement Apollo Perelini were both held up
over the line before Robinson embarked on a trademark counter which almost gave
the home side a bonus point for their fourth try.
Instead, the Tykes grabbed a dazzling try of their own, Dan Scarbrough racing
over halfway before sending Mulder clear with a basketball pass after Robinson
had bounced his fellow full-back to the floor.
Robinson had the last laugh though, selling Benton an outrageous dummy before
sending Cueto in from 20 metres.
Teams:
Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Shaw, Deane, Elliott, Hodgson, Redpath,
Yates, C. Marais, Stewart, Fullarton, C. Jones, A. Sanderson,
Pinkerton, Anglesea.
Replacements: Baxendell for Shaw (63), Perelini for Yates (71),
Black for Stewart (57), Lines for Fullarton (45),
Wilkes for Anglesea (63).
Not Used: Dickens, Titterrell.
Tries: Elliott, Cueto 2, Redpath.
Cons: Hodgson 3.
Pens: Hodgson 3.
Leeds: Scarborough, Bartolucci, Mulder, van Straaten, Hall,
Bachop, Benton, Wring, Holt, Shelley, C. Murphy, P. Murphy,
Hyde, Ponton, Hogg.
Replacements: Benson for Bartolucci (65),
Davies for Mulder (80), O'Reilly for Benton (73),
Fullman for Wring (65), Luffman for Holt (65),
Mather for Hyde (58).
Not Used: Jones.
Tries: Hall, Mulder.
Cons: van Straaten 2.
Pens: van Straaten 2.
Att: 3,871
Ref: Steve Lander (RFU).
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