England and Lions full-back Jason Robinson was sin-binned for the first time
in his professional rugby career as Sale Sharks began their debut
Heineken Cup campaign with a home defeat.
The former rugby league star conceded a penalty try in the 47th minute for
holding back William Bonet without the ball when the substitute prop looked
certain to score.
Welsh referee Nigel Williams did not hesitate to show him a yellow card and
Robinson's evening was brought to a close when his 10 minutes in the bin were
up, Vaughan Going coming on to replace him.
In normal circumstances Robinson would never have been beaten in a foot race
by a front-row forward, but he picked up a knock in the 40th minute after a
collision with flanker Sebastien Chabal.
Robinson, who is a key member of Cilve Woodward's England squad and injury
permitting will play a full part in the autumn internationals against New
Zealand, Australia and South Africa, was left spreadeagled for a full minute
before finally getting up.
It was a disappointing way for his evening to finish given his first half
performance - he scored a blistering try, set up winger Steve Hanley and made a
number of trademark defence-splitting runs.
But that was not the only disappointment at Heywood Road - how the Sharks
managed to lose after dominating large periods of the game will be an issue
coach Jim Mallinder will surely want to address.
They went close to rescuing the match in the dying moments when they laid
siege to the Bourgoin line but the French side, who had defended resolutely all
night, held firm.
Bourgoin are a useful side - they lie third in pool one of the French
championship - but they gave an untypically French performance away from home,
full of grit and determination.
They were helped by another penalty try and Pierre Caillet crossed late on,
while full-back Benjamin Boyet kicked all three conversions.
Alexandre Peclier completed the French side's scoring with a penalty.
The wet conditions took their toll on an error-strewn opening 10 minutes with
both teams guilty of dropping some easy passes.
Bourgoin were showing some neat touches in attack and fly-half Peclier ghosted
through the Sharks' defence only to be hauled down by the home cover.
But the French side's poor discipline was costing them ground as the Sharks
poured forward at every opportunity, pushing their opponents back and eventually
touching down in the 11th minute.
Flanker Stuart Pinkerton made the initial break, surging up the middle of the
pitch until he was just 15 metres from the Bourgoin line.
The ball was released to Scotland scrum-half Bryan Redpath who quickly fed his
half-back partner Nick Walshe and he found Robinson with a flat pass which sent
the Lions full-back sprinting over.
Walshe slotted the conversion and added a penalty moments later, but Peclier
replied with a long-range penalty of his own.
Peclier, who averages over 10 points a game for his side, was looking
Bourgoin's most threatening player and he crossed in the 25th minute after a
barnstorming run from Chabal, but referee Nigel Williams ruled that he was held
up over the line.
Williams found in the visitors' favour six minutes later, awarding a penalty
try after the Sharks collapsed a scrum right under the posts. Full-back Benjamin
Boyet added the extras.
But the Sharks were back in the lead in the 31st minute when Robinson slipped
the ball out of a tackle to Hanley who raced in at the corner.
Robinson then picked up his injury, gave away a penalty try which Boyet
improved, and was sin-binned - effectively ending his night.
Walshe booted a penalty to give the Sharks a narrow 18-17 lead but a converted
Caillet try in the 64th minute put Bourgoin ahead - a lead they were not to
relinquish, despite the Sharks' late fightback.
Teams:
Sale: Robinson, Cueto,
Baxendell, Deane, Hanley, Walshe,
Redpath, Thorp, Titterrell, Stewart, C. Jones, Schofield,
A. Sanderson, Pinkerton, Anglesea.
Not Used: Marais, Yates, Turner, Perelini, Wilks, Harris, Going.
Tries: Robinson, Hanley.
Cons: Walshe.
Pens: Walshe 2.
Bourgoin: Boyet, Tuni, Davis, Venditti, Forest, Peclier,
Forest., Mazet, Djoubi, Peyron, Raschi, Nallet, Bonnaire,
Costes, Shabal.
Not Used: Pucciarello, Curnier, Bonet, Fischer, Bonnet,
Pesteil, Caillet.
Tries: Penalty 2, Caillet.
Cons: Boyet 3.
Pens: Peclier.
Att: 5,007
Ref: Nigel Williams (Bryncoch).
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