Sale Vs Tigers

[FKAS]

Sale Sharks Starting XV:

15. Luke James, 14. Arron Reed, 13. Sam James, 12. Manu Tuilagi, 11. Tom O’Flaherty, 10. Rob Du Preez (c), 9. Gus Warr; 1. Simon McIntyre, 2. Akker Van Der Merwe, 3. Nick Schonert, 4. Cobus Wiese, 5. Jonny Hill, 6. Tom Curry, 7. Ben Curry, 8. Jean-luc du Preez

Replacements:

16. Ewan Ashman, 17. Ross Harrison, 18. James Harper, 19. Josh Beaumont, 20. Jono Ross, 21. Joe Simpson, 22. Tom Curtis, 23. Byron McGuigan

STARTING XV
15 Freddie Steward [63]
14 Anthony Watson [9]
13 Guy Porter [52]
12 Dan Kelly [47]
11 Harry Potter [52]
10 Handré Pollard [1]
9 Jack van Poortvliet (vc) [56]
1 James Whitcombe [31]
2 Charlie Clare [64]
3 Dan Cole (vc) [301]
4 Harry Wells [167]
5 Ollie Chessum [39]
6 Hanro Liebenberg (c) [71]
7 Tommy Reffell [87]
8 Olly Cracknell [11]

REPLACEMENTS
16 Gabriel Oghre [2]
17 Nephi Leatigaga [75]
18 Joe Heyes [110]
19 Calum Green [99]
20 Sean Jansen [11]
21 Ben Youngs [290]
22 Freddie Burns [113]
23 Chris Ashton [22]

Tigers still minus Cronin, Montoya, Weise and Martin through injury and no sign of the Sale starting halfbacks but Handre Pollard returns. Only one du Preez twin on show but two Currys, interesting that Sale have gone for dual opensides in what is likely to be a very physical game. Manu returns to face up against Kelly in a potential face off for the England 12 shirt.

[Tom Moore]

Manu returns to face up against Kelly in a potential face off for the England 12 shirt.

Very much looking forward to the Glass Cannon vs the Next Big Thing.

[FKAS]

Manu returns to face up against Kelly in a potential face off for the England 12 shirt.

Very much looking forward to the Glass Cannon vs the Next Big Thing.

Glass Cannon, like that. Be interesting to see how that one goes. Manu always tends to play well against Tigers irrespective of injuries or form. Good news for Sale ahead of tomorrow. Kelly took on a slightly different role last weekend with the Tigers attack using him as a distributor more than usual. Tigers scored three tries and his passing was pivotal in two of them. They'll both he looking to shut the other down (don't give Manu a run up) do I'm expecting some big hits.

[Tom Moore]

Manu returns to face up against Kelly in a potential face off for the England 12 shirt.

Very much looking forward to the Glass Cannon vs the Next Big Thing.

Glass Cannon, like that. Be interesting to see how that one goes. Manu always tends to play well against Tigers irrespective of injuries or form. Good news for Sale ahead of tomorrow. Kelly took on a slightly different role last weekend with the Tigers attack using him as a distributor more than usual. Tigers scored three tries and his passing was pivotal in two of them. They'll both he looking to shut the other down (don't give Manu a run up) do I'm expecting some big hits.

Yeah, I think it'll give us a really good marker on where Kelly is in his development. His passing looked excellent last week.

[FKAS]

Ben Curry is doing a fantastic job reffing this game. He's the brother who looks like he has a shed load of caps.

Two HIAs and no TMO review, one of which is after a penalty where Carley says it's Sale's foul play?

Tigers have looked inaccurate so far. Sale have really come better and better in to the game. They were under a lot of pressure early on but are no dominating.

[twitchy]

Sale going nuts just before h/t.

[FKAS]

Ah it's the most incompetent TMO in the world Clare Hodnett. Explains a lot.

[FKAS]

Sale going nuts just before h/t.

Yeah they really upped the intensity. I thought they might fatigue after all the early Tigers pressure but it just seemed to pump them up.

[stepsider]

Sale should have scored a half century +, TBH, had they not been so wasteful. End of Tigers' new coach's honeymoon.

[FKAS]

Well Sale had some nice variation alongside the physicality. Quirke and Ford to come back in is a scary thought. Interesting to hear that Fords already been working with the backs, Sale have added more to their attack this season. Is he as much a coach as he is a player? Might explain Tigers toothlessness this season.

Tigers were dreadful. When the physicality didn't work there was very little plan B. The attack was stunted and static, bless him Pollard was trying to get it moving but the structure is so turgid it's like trying to give CPR to a corpse. Wiggy has got to address that as without so many of the big ball carriers the likes of Jansen aren't going to give automatic go forward. For fucks sake Jansen as he seemed to be known in my house this evening. I hope Ilione gets a go next week to shunt him down the pecking order.

[FKAS]

After recent weeks what would Carley done if this one had been flagged by the TMO?

[Timbo]

Ben Curry is a bloody good player. 10 years ago he’d have been widely considered the best 7 in the country.

[Mr Mwenda]

How did Tuilagi v Kelly play out?

[twitchy]

It was a weird game, tigers had so many injuries it sort of stopped being a contest. Manu played well though.

[fivepointer]

Horrible night for Leicester. They would have struggled without the injuries, with them it really wasnt a contest once Sale established control.
Thought the Curry and James brothers were very impressive.
Once Quirke and Ford are installed at half back, this Sale side are going to be quite a force.

[16th man]

Good to see such a positive reaction to the awful second half display against Newcastle.

[FKAS]

How did Tuilagi v Kelly play out?

Both came away with credit. Kelly got a try saving tackle in on Manu. Manu didn't really make much ground on his carries but he dragged in defenders and his work rate was good, there was also a big hit on Potter that forced a knock on. Kelly pretty much did a one man job keeping the Tigers midfield together and was probably one of the reasons it took Sale so long to get the TBP.

Ben Curry is a bloody good player. 10 years ago he’d have been widely considered the best 7 in the country.

I don't think anybody noticed his brother was playing that's how good he was. Doesn't half come across as the kind of person that would have ended up with a broken nose and missing teeth in the old days though. Mocking a prone player who's got medics inspecting him for concussion was particularly classless and got a rebuke from sir. He was exceptionally good at appealing for decisions and talking Carley round to his way of thinking, something England have badly missed.

[TheNomad]

Ben Curry should be given a shot for England IMO. Back row is just so competitive

[Which Tyler]

Mocking a prone player who's got medics inspecting him for concussion was particularly classless and got a rebuke from sir.

Should be up in front of the beak for that - same charge as Marler "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game"

More time off for good behaviour though (how Marler got any, given his rap sheet, is anyone's guess)