Latest
Overview
Season so far
Tournament record
Sale Sharks will be desperate to put the misery of league campaign behind them as they kick-off their Heineken Cup campaign against Cardiff Blues. - 11/10/2012 16:31
Sale Sharks will be desperate to put the misery of league campaign behind them as they kick-off their Heineken Cup campaign against Cardiff Blues.
The Salford-based club have failed to register a win this season and have slumped to bottom of the English Premiership.
Their coach Pete Anglesea admits the Sharks view the clash as a chance to kick-start their season and former Cardiff Blues duo Andy Powell and Nick Macleod will have extra incentive to impress.
Their former region are under pressure having lost two home matches in a row.
The Blues will also want to make amends having crashed to a humiliating 34-3 to reigning champions Leinster at last year’s quarter-final stage.
It will be the fifth time the two sides have clashed in the Heineken Cup with honours currently even.
The Welsh region were 36-19 victors the last time the two sides clashed.
Sale Sharks ended their search for their first win of the season and Wales captain Sam Warburton
Sale Sharks ended their search for their first win of the season and Wales captain Sam Warburton, who has recently been plagued by injuries, again failed to go the distance after going off after just six minutes of this 34-33 defeat at Salford City Stadium.
It was the Sharks’ first win in any tournament this campaign and they did it the hard way by overturning a 24-12 half-time deficit when it looked like Warburton’s pain from a dislocated finger was going to be eased as the Welsh international double act of Alex Cuthbert and Leigh Halfpenny got into full swing.
Wing Cuthbert did the damage with the ball in hand with a hat-trick of tries before the break with full back Halfpenny putting the boot into Sale with all three conversions and a nerve-settling early penalty goal.
For their part the Sharks relied on former Blues player Nick Macleod to keep their score ticking over with four penalty goals but then struck with the ball in hand after the break in sensational style to go on and claim the four points.
Danny Cipriani, out to make a fresh start with the Sharks was central to the comeback, scoring one and making one, with Mark Jennings also cracking the Blues defence.
And then with just minutes on the clock Sale stunned the Blues thanks to veteran prop Tony Buckley’s close range try and the boot of Rob Miller.
LIVE - TEST - Commentary