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Sale Sharks 49 Brive 24

Jenny Dixon
9/ 4/2008

SHARKS marched confidently into the European Challenge Cup semi-finals, scoring six tries against French club Brive at Edgeley Park.

In the second half substitute Juan Martin-Fernandez grabbed two tries and young replacement scrum-half Will Cliffe scored his first senior touchdown for Sharks.

But it was in the first 15 minutes that the game was secured as Sharks racked up a seemingly insurmountable 18-0 lead, following tries from Sebastien Chabal and centre Lee Thomas.

Nevertheless, despite the commanding victory, there is a necessity for improvement from Sharks, whose defence, the best in the Premiership, was breached four times by a depleted but gritty Brive side.

The French visitors, focused on their survival fight on the home front, rested several key players including former England internationals Steve Thompson and Ben Cohen.

Conceding four tries mattered little on Friday night, but such slip ups would be devastating in the league run-in, as forthcoming opponents Wasps, Bristol and Newcastle will punish every mistake and not be as easily cowed as Sharks’ Cup opponents.

Fly-half Luke McAlister demonstrated why he is one of New Zealand’s top exports, kicking 19 points, and missing just three, while Charlie Hodgson was given a little bench rest after becoming a dad for the first time.

McAlister also ensured that the poor pitch did not prevent spells of open play, making several impressive breaks and setting up Thomas’ try with an inch-perfect crossfield kick that Thomas accelerated onto to score.

Sharks first try came from the forwards, after Brive’s winger Filimino Boleavucu was adjudged to have run Ben Foden’s chip over the tryline, giving Sharks an attacking scrum five metres out.

Powerful prop pairing Eifion Lewis Roberts and Andrew Sheridan led a fast and hard drive, allowing Chabal to pick up the ball from the base of the ruck and drop over the whitewash.

Thomas’ touchdown on 15 minutes went unconverted but a conversion and two earlier penalties from McAlister meant Sharks looked set for a huge winning margin.

But as Sharks relaxed Brive forged a comeback and from a lineout drove back Sale’s powerful pack allowing winger Farid Sid to peel off from the back of the maul and race unhindered over the tryline.

Chabal went on a bullish run, flooring two Brive men, before the attacking manoeuvre ended with a knock-on and a knee injury forced him off shortly before the break.

He was replaced by Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe who was the man to begin Sharks resurrection after the break, their defence having been breached for a second time in the closing stages of the first half, by lock Vickus Liebenberg.

A disappointingly slight lead of 21-12, at the break, given their dominance during the first 20 minutes, was set straight by Juan Fernandez Lobbe who, following several phases of play, drilled across the whitewash after 46 minutes and grabbed his second try soon after.

Yet again in the absence of any immediate threat to their tally Sharks eased the pressure on Brive and were quickly punished as the hooker Jean Philippe Bonrepaux leapt over a pile Sharks bodies to ground the ball.

McAlister went on a surging run and a crossfield kick was almost claimed by Thomas for a replica of his first half try.

As it was Brive collected but their daring tactics of running the ball out of their own 22 went badly awry as Sharks reclaimed possession and Chris Bell picked up the loose ball before providing Cliffe with a simple maiden try.

The conversion took the score to an unassailable 42-17 before a penalty try gifted Sharks their sixth, denying Fernandez Lobbe a potential hat-trick.

Liebenberg grabbed his second before the final whistle but Sharks’ victory was never really under threat.