Wasps guaranteed their place in the Zurich Premiership play-off semi-final
with victory over Sale but they made hard work of dispatching an out-of-sorts
Sharks side.
The London club - who are now unbeaten in their last 11 outings in all
competitions - laid siege to the home line for long periods of the first half
but they only had a Rob Howley try to show for their ascendancy.
They wilted as an attacking force after the interval but with fly-half Alex
King in fine form with the boot - he only missed one shot at goal - they secured
the four points which will almost certainly give them home advantage for the
play-off semi-final.
Sale are their likely opponents in that match and on today's evidence Sharks
coach Jim Mallinder will need to find a way of combating Wasps' superiority up
front and unlocking their water-tight defence if his side are to reach the
championship final at Twickenham on May 31.
They lacked their usual cutting edge as Wasps - the Premiership's in-form team
- restricted them to just three Jos Baxendell penalties, a poor return given the
ease with which they have scored tries this season.
It was also a disappointing way for the Sharks to register their last league
match at Heywood Road after the club revealed yesterday they are to move to
Stockport County's Edgeley Park over the summer.
Wasps came out on top in the early kicking game, pinning Sale back in their
own half, but it was the Sharks who drew first blood when Baxendell slotted
over an early penalty.
King replied with a simple three points only for Sale to sweep into the
visitors' territory and set up a promising position which was concluded by an
infringement from Wasps, allowing Baxendell to land another penalty.
Warren Gatland's men replied almost immediately with a fine try created by
Lawrence Dallaglio who surged through the middle of a packed Sale defence before
feeding Howley who ghosted through.
King added the conversion and Wasps went straight back on the attack, setting
up a chance for Simon Shaw on the left but with five yards to go the burley
second row was hauled down, despite a neat side-step.
The Sharks were struggling to lay a hand on the ball as Wasps tightened the
screw, employing King's boot to secure strong field positions which their
forwards - clearly the stronger pack - used to good effect.
The Sharks' defence - which had taken a fearful battering from Wasps -
appeared to have cracked again when England full-back Josh Lewsey crashed over
but referee Roy Maybank ruled crossing in the movement.
Lewsey - sprinting at full tilt - was through again a minute before the
interval but he knocked on when diving for the score after a crunching hit from
the athletic Chris Jones.
It was Sale's turn to breach the try-line early in the second half when a
double switch move saw the ball recycled to flanker Stuart Pinkerton who powered
his way over only to spill forward in the final tackle.
The Sharks continued to press and were rewarded with a penalty which Baxendell
slotted to pull his side within a point but King then replied with two
perfectly-weighted shots at goal.
Wasps hooker Trevor Leota was sin-binned in the 67th minute for handling on
the floor as Sale went on the offensive and Baxendell kicked for position, a
tactic which failed to pay off as the Sharks infringed in the ensuing move.
But the home side battled on and went desperately close in injury time before
King cleared his lines in a thrilling finale to a largely disappointing match.
There was some reward for the Sharks however after they kept the defeat to
within seven points, securing a try-scoring bonus point, but they must still
overcome Saracens on the last day of the season to confirm their place in the
play-off semi-final.
Teams
Sale: Going, Cueto, Robinson, Bond, Hanley, Baxendell, Redpath,
Yates, Titterell, Stewart, Schofield, Fullarton, Anglesea,
Pinkerton, C. Jones.
Replacements: Marais, Thorp, Davies, Lund, Mayor, Elliott, Walshe.
Pens: Baxendell 3.
Wasps: van Gisbergen, Lewsey, Waters, Abbott, Rudd, A. King,
Howley, Dowd, Leota, W. Green, Shaw, Birkett, Worsley, Volley,
Dallaglio.
Replacements: Wood, Greening, Logan, Erinle, Lock, Scrivener,
Mackenzie.
Tries: Howley.
Cons: A. King
Pens: A. King 3.
Att: 5,700
Ref: Roy Maybank (RFU).
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