Jonny Wilkinson had the final word in the battle of the fly halves at Kingston
Park on Sunday.
With his side traling 29-23 and staring defeat in the face after a perfect
kicking display by Charlie Hodgson and two tries from Jason Robinson, Wilkinson
darted through the Sale defence for a winning try in the third minute of injury
time, with the conversion seeing Newcastle squeeze victory by one point.
Hodgson struck the first blow in the battle of the fly-halves with a first
minute penalty for a line-out offence but Wilkinson made it 3-3 in the 10th
minute after a pulverising drive by the Falcons pack led to a penalty.
Newcastle mounted a series of attacks and Sale were lucky not to concede a
penalty for successive offsides by Sebastien Chabal and Steve Hanley.
Hodgson converted a huge 18th-minute penalty from halfway but two minutes
later, Newcastle's Mathew Tait showed why he is Clive Woodward's thinking for
the British Lions.
The 18-year-old England Sevens star surged through to stand-off Jos Baxendell,
mesmerising the cover with a couple of sidesteps before simply shrugging off the
tackle from Jason Robinson for a great try in the corner.
Wilkinson converted but Hodgson matched the kick with a penalty from the
kick-off to make it 10-9.
It was end-to-end stuff and Robinson produced a magical try with a run through
the Falcons pack from halfway for a score under the posts which Hodgson
converted to make it 16-10 which quickly became 16-13 with Wilkinson's second
penalty.
A scrum on the Sale line led to Newcastle's second try.
With Sale expecting a drive, Newcastle ran it and Wilkinson put Jamie Noon in
for a simple try.
Wilkinson again converted fron wide out only for Hodgson to kick another
monster penalty from halfway for there to be just one point in it at half-time
and neither man had missed a kick.
That record lasted just two minuts into the second half when Wilkinson erred
and Newcastle paid dearly for giving away a daft penalty on halfway with Sale
rumbling up to the line.
Hodgson's inside pass sent in Robinson for a simple try for Sale to lead 26-20
with Hodgson's conversion and he made it 29-20 with a 60th minute penalty.
Newcastle simply could not get the ball for long periods of the second half
with the Sale pack and Chabal in great form.
But Wilkinson gave them hope with a 73rd-minute penalty and then the Falcon
bravely went for the line-out in the corner twice.
It seemed the chance had gone when the maul went down but Jamie Noon's charge
set up the ruck and the ball was whipped out for Wilkinson to scythe through and
score that dramatic match-wimnning try in injury time.
Teams:
Newcastle: Walder, May, Tait, Noon, Stephenson, J. Wilkinson,
Charlton, Peel, Long, Ward, Buist, Grimes, Charvis, Harris,
Dowson.
Replacements: Shaw for Walder (55), Grindal for Charlton (64),
Gross for Buist (70), McCarthy for Harris (67).
Not Used: Isaacson, Mackie, Phillips.
Tries: Tait, Noon, J. Wilkinson.
Cons: J. Wilkinson 3.
Pens: J. Wilkinson 3.
Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Baxendell, Todd, Hanley, Hodgson,
Wigglesworth, Sheridan, Titterell, Stewart, Jones, Schofield,
White, Carter, Chabal.
Replacements: Rhys Jones for Todd (26),
Lund for Titterell (76), Turner for Stewart (53),
Day for Jones (74), Bruno for Carter (49).
Not Used: Foden, Hercus.
Tries: Robinson 2.
Cons: Hodgson 2.
Pens: Hodgson 5.
Att: 10,200
Ref: Tony Spreadbry (RFU).
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