Six penalties from the boot of Argentina international fly-half Felipe
Contepomi helped Bristol Shoguns record their first league victory over the
Sharks since December 2000 and dent the visitors' Zurich Premiership title
hopes.
Both sides went out of the Powergen Cup in last weekend's sixth round and were
hoping to go into 2003 with a Premiership victory under their belts. Sharks lost
26-20 to Saracens at Vicarage Road so a top three Premiership finish is now
their top priority.
Bristol, fielding a very weakened side, lost 24-19 at home to National
Division One league leaders and during the week head coach Peter Thorburn
admitted that he got the team selection wrong and may have under-estimated the
Yorkshire side.
The Shoguns went into this game back to near full strength including the
Argentinian half-back pair of Agustin Pichot and Contepomi. England fly-half
Charlie Hodgson was playing his league game for the Sharks after being sidelined
for three months with a knee injury.
The home side applied the early pressure with wing Brendon Daniel just beaten
to a chip through by Sharks' Steve Hanley.
Centre Daryl Gibson and Contepomi both came close but then the Pumas fly-half
landed two penalties with just 12 minutes on the clock.
Hodgson pulled one back for the visitors after the Shoguns had gone over the
top at a ruck in front of the posts 35 metres out.
But the conditions - heavy under foot and drizzling rain - made handling
difficult for both sides.
The visitors made few ventures into the Shoguns' half during the opening 40
minutes and it was Bristol who went into the break 6-3 in front after Hodgson's
45-metre penalty attempt, 10 metres in from the right touchline, was short and
wide of the near upright.
Contepomi increased the Bristol lead with his third penalty, from out wide on
the right, and a fourth, just to the left of the uprights, only for Sharks to
claw one back as Hodgson found the uprights from 30 metres out.
The Sharks looked like they were going to score a try just after the hours as
scrum-half Bryan Redpath broke 40 metres up the middle. His pass to Hodgson went
to ground, flanker Alex Sanderson picked up but his pass was intercepted by
Daniel who cleared his line.
Centre Alex Higgins then came close for the Shoguns, with seven minutes
remaining, as he raced through on to a Contepomi grubber kick but the England
Under-21 knocked on as he slid on to the ball.
Contepomi widened the gap between the two sides with his fifth penalty from
out wide on the Shoguns left after the Sharks, with the defence severely tested,
strayed offside. This was quickly followed by his sixth from a similar distance
just before the final whistle.
Teams:
Bristol: Best, Daniel, Higgins, Gibson, Christophers,
Contepomi, Pichot, Sheridan, Johnstone, White, Archer,
A. Brown, Salter, Oakley, Beattie.
Replacements: Crompton, Rowland, C. Morgan, S. Morgan, Richards,
Carrington, Williams.
Pens: Contepomi 6.
Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Harris, Bond, Hanley, Hodgson, Redpath,
Yates, Marais, Stewart, C. Jones, Fullarton, A. Sanderson,
Pinkerton, Anglesea.
Replacements: Roddham, Thorp, Turner, Davies, Wilks, Going, Walshe.
Pens: Hodgson 2.
Att: 5,642
Ref: Roy Maybank (RFU).
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