Sharks Go Wonky In The Lineout To Hand It To Falcons

FOR ALL the zip and zest of the previous weekend, where attacking rugby thrived and defences were deemed surplus, this brought the Premiership back down to earth with a juddering halt.

 

- Colin Newboult

Eddie Jones’ trips to the north have been few and far between and perhaps this is why. Even accounting for the weather, which did neither team any favours, Sale and Newcastle hardly gave a glowing endorsement for the region’s rugby.

The Falcons won’t particularly care after they overcame a string of errors to muster one final attack and rumble a maul towards the line. It forced Marc Jones to infringe and concede the match-winning penalty try, completing an all-round torrid evening for the Sale hookers.

It is always easy to pin the blame of a malfunctioning lineout on the man throwing, but it is fair to say that Cameron Neild will have better days.

Having seen the hosts lose lineout leader Bryn Evans before the match Calum Green and Will Witty sensed their opportunity to pounce, turning Neild’s Friday night into a nightmare experience.