SALE 'TUNA' HAVE LAST LAUGH IN BATTLE OF THE SHARKS
Sale Sharks 26 Durban Sharks 10
Marco Masotti, the owner of the Durban Sharks, had joked in the build-up to the game that Sale should rename themselves “Tuna”. His comments would have made this bonus-point victory in the battle of the Sharks all the more sweet for Alex Sanderson and his players. Sale’s social media account wasted no time in revelling in the victory, with one post jesting that the “Loser changes their name, right?”
In truth neither side have had much cause to thump their chests this season, which is why of much more significance to Sanderson is the fact that the victory ensured Sale will progress to the Champions Cup round of 16, no matter what happens in their final pool match at Toulouse next Saturday.
After a run of narrow defeats in the Prem, reaching the knockout stages in Europe should provide Sale with a timely tonic, and might yet prove to be a turning point for a side who in recent seasons have made something of their ability to time late runs to their campaigns.
The Durban Sharks may have travelled without many of their leading Springboks, and yet the manner in which Sanderson’s men made light work of securing this victory with a commanding second-half display should give his side something to build on.
The first half may have been instantly forgettable, given the high number of mistakes by both sides, but Sale looked a different outfit after the interval and two tries by Tom O’Flaherty took the game away from their opponents, despite a sensational solo effort from their eye-catching flanker Manu Tshituka. Bevan Rodd also crossed from a driving maul to inflict more misery on the Durban interim head coach JP Pietersen, who took over from John Plumtree last month.
Central to Sale’s victory was their superior aerial game, stout defence and a strong line-out.
‘Put the bottom lip in and the big-boy shorts on’
“We had to work through it, through the frustration that they felt coming in at half-time,” Sanderson said. “Because a lot of things we got right – defensively, we were good, our kick-chase was decent, we were turning some of their big forwards, and then it just wasn’t sticking in attack.
“There were too many balls going to deck. I told them to put the bottom lip in, put the big-boy shorts on and go out there and keep going at it. And they did, and they worked through and got a bonus point. So we’ve had performances better than that, and lost games this year. This is one of those times where we have not had a great performance but got a great result. So having been on the other side of it, we’ll enjoy it tonight.”
Sale had edged the scoreboard 7-3 in an error-strewn first half, with Rekeiti Ma’asi-White hitting a strong line to go over by the posts after some strong forward carries but their Durban counterparts had created more scoring opportunities.
Siya Masuku was off target with a penalty attempt from inside his own half at the start of the second half and, if it felt like a lack of ambition, it typified his side’s limited approach after the break, despite their scrum dominance.
With George Ford’s influence growing – his cut-out pass to the impressive Obi Ene was the one moment of class in the contest, only for Rodd to be penalised after his carry to the line – Sale took control. Ford kicked a penalty to the corner and, after a quick throw to Ben Bamber, Rodd was driven over.
Durban’s discipline continued to falter, giving Sale easy access into their opponents’ 22. A laser-accurate kick by Ford secured another attacking line-out position and, although Pietersen’s side managed to hold out the driving maul this time, Sale recycled the ball wide and a well-worked move, involving Ford and Ene, created a try out wide for O’Flaherty.
The moment of the game for the visitors involved Tshituka, who, following a counter-attack from deep, broke clear from a midfield ruck, his pace catching Ford by surprise as the flanker rounded him to score a superb solo try on the hour mark.
Yet any hope of a serious revival was spent from the restart as Masuku kicked short out of his own 22, the ball gathered by Joe Carpenter, who cut through the Durban defence before finding O’Flaherty, who jinked his way over for his second.
Bamber was denied a late try by the TMO when he knocked on as substitute scrum-half Jean Smith rolled the ball back on to his goal-line from a breakdown. But it mattered little. It is the Sale version of the Sharks who are into the next round, and with the bragging rights to boot.
Match details
Scoring sequence 0-3 Masuku pen, 5-3 Ma’asi-White try, 7-3 Ford con, 12-3 Rodd try, 14-3 Ford con, 19-3 O’Flaherty try, 19-8 Tshituka try, 19-10 Masuku con, 24-10 O’Flaherty try, 26-10 Ford con.
Sale Sharks J Carpenter; O Ene, Rob du Preez, R Ma’asi-White (M Louw 47), T O’Flaherty (G Wehr 71); G Ford, G Warr D Hanson 71); B Rodd (P Bell 61), N Jibulu (S McIntyre 61), J Harper (E Caine 61), B Bamber, Ernst van Rhyn, J Vermeulen (H Andrews 3), S Dugdale, T Curry (T Burrow 47).
Durban Sharks H Kunene; Y Penxe, F Venter (M Potgieter 30), J Julius, L R Malan; S Masuku (J Smith 65), R Braude (C Everson 65); L-M Mazibuko (P Ganyane 47), E Swart (E Bester 62), V Koch (M Mdanda 47), C Rahl, E van Heerden (V Tshituka 40), T Mavesere (M Romao 63), M Tshituka, N Hatton.
Referee B Breakspear (Wales).
Steyn double sends Glasgow into last 16
Glasgow Warriors are guaranteed a spot in the last 16 of the Champions Cup after claiming a third bonus-point win on the spin by beating Clermont Auvergne 33-21.
After edging out Sale in their Pool One opener and then hitting back from 21-0 down to stun six-time champions Toulouse last month, the Warriors took charge at the Parc des Sports Marcel Michelin.
First-half tries from Euan Ferrie, Huw Jones, Kyle Steyn and Jack Dempsey, three converted by George Horne, helped the visitors establish a 26-7 lead at the break, with George Moala scoring for Clermont.
But Patrick Schickerling was shown a yellow card for offside, with Horne joining him in the sin-bin for a deliberate knock-on, with Clermont awarded a penalty try and Glasgow down to 13 men.
Clermont capitalised on the two-man advantage as Irae Simone touched down, closing the gap to five points just after the hour, but Steyn’s second try made sure of a Glasgow win.
Having made sure of a spot in the knockout stages, Glasgow could claim top spot in their pool by beating Saracens at Scotstoun next weekend.
Recommended
'Calling for Sale Sharks to rebrand as Sale Tuna was just my bit of fun'
2026-01-10T20:10:43Z