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Gloucester 31 Sale Sharks 12

17/10/2007

SHARKS newest prop Benoit Bourrust made a try-scoring start to his first Premiership season.

Having recovered from an ankle injury, that meant he was unavailable for Sharks’ first four matches, Bourrust made a good first impression, scoring the first try of the match.

But five points from Bourrust , and a try from Oriol Ripol, were not enough to arrest the winning ways of unbeaten Gloucester, who currently head the Premiership league table.

Sharks have not won in the league away from home for a year, their last Premiership victory on the road was in October against London Irish.

Kingsholm was the venue for their latest loss on Saturday.

Early on in the game Bourrust freed himself and the ball from a post line-out drive, Hodgson opting to kick a penalty into touch rather than go for three points, and the French forward found himself with sufficient space to cross the whitewash.

At half-time, which immediately followed Ripol’s try, the two sides were level on 12 points apiece, Ryan Lamb scoring four penalties.

In the second-half Sharks were reduced to 14 men when Sean Cox was sin-binned and, during the flanker’s absence, Leon Lloyd scored two tries.

Winger Lloyd was a doubt until the morning of the match, having undergone a late fitness test due to fluid on a knee injury.

Gloucester’s third try was scored by Olly Morgan but Sharks’ defence prevented another breach to ensure the table-toppers went without a bonus point.

Sharks Argentinian back row Genaro Fessia made his debut for the side, while new signing Scott Lawson and Scotland skipper Jason White both took to the turf for the first time since their country’s exit from the World Cup.