Sale Sharks 25-7 Saracens: Arron Reed scores try of the season as Sharks take huge step towards top four

Sale started the first half as they meant to go on, scoring the opening try of the game just under two minutes into the match when young centre Rekeiti Ma’asi White received it out wide and made no mistake.

The good play for the hosts continued going into the halfway mark, with a brilliant run from Tom Roebuck setting up fly-half George Ford for an easy finish.

27 minutes in, Arron Reed came up with what was easily the moment of the game, running about 85 metres and taking on three defenders with nothing but pure speed and agility to send the crowd into bedlam.

Sarries got one back just before the break when winger Angus Hall finished with ease out wide.

After the break, it all slowed down a bit and became a scrappy affair with both teams making numerous handling errors and failing to capitalise on the chances given to them.

Referee Christoph Ridley gave the home fans a reason to make some noise, but not in a positive way, when he stopped play for a knock on, before Sale ran through for a try. It turns out the ball was kicked after being handled so should have stood.

If Sale miss out on the playoffs from a single point, then Ridley will not be a popular man in Greater Manchester.

They do take the points though in what is a huge win that puts them up to second, ahead of the weekend's fixtures.

TRIES: 3 (Rekeiti Ma’asi White 2’ George Ford 17’ Arron Reed 27)

CONVERSIONS: 2 (George Ford 18’ 28’)

PENALTIES: 2 George Ford 6’ 67’

Sale Sharks starting XV:

15. Joe Carpenter 14. Tom Roebuck 13. Rob du Preez (c) 12. Rekeiti Ma’asi White 11. Arron Reed 10. George Ford 9. Gus Warr 1. Bevan Rodd 2. Luke Cowan-Dickie 3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour 4. Ben Bamber 5. Hyron Andrews 6. Ernst van Rhyn 7. Tom Curry 8. Jean-Luc du Preez

16. Tadgh McElroy 17. Si McIntyre 18. WillGriff John 19 Josh Beaumont 20. Dan du Preez 21. Sam Dugdale 22. Raffi Quirke 23. Tom O’Flaherty

TRIES: 1 Angus Hall 32’

CONVERSIONS: 1 Fergus Burke 33’

Saracens starting XV:

15. Elliot Daly 14. Angus Hall 13. Nick Tompkins 12. Olly Hartley 11. Rotimi Segun 10. Fergus Burke 9. Ivan van Zyl 1. Rhys Carre 2. Jamie George 3. Alec Clarey 4. Maro Itoje (c) 5. Hugh Tizard 6. Nick Isiekwe 7. Ben Earl 9. Tom Willis

Replacements:

16. Theo Dan 17. Eroni Mawi 18. Harvey Beaton 19. Theo McFarland 20. Andy Onyeama-Christie 21. Juan Martin Gonzalez 22. Charlie Bracken 23. Alex Goode

Cleaned up play nicely at the back and went about his business in typical professional style, making a few great kicks to gain crucial metres. An unreal 50-22 in the first half really set the tone for a strong performance. Staking his claim for an England place in the summer, he was his usual, consistent self for the time he was on the pitch.

14. Tom Roebuck – 8
A very good game from Roebuck in his 100th Sale cap, overshadowed only by Arron Reed's brilliance. He was great on both sides of the ball, kept Rotimi Segun quiet, and made a few marauding runs. His best moment came from a first-half break and brilliant assist to George Ford. A reliably superb outing.

13. Rob du Preez – 7
Not as involved as other backs but did what was needed and kept things ticking. Defensively solid and acted as the glue that held the backline together.

12. Rekeiti Ma’asi White – 7.5
Impressive first half, scoring a try after two minutes and outperforming Olly Hartley. Faded slightly later but showed strong, agile runs and solid tackling throughout. A big talent with great potential.

Take a bow. Scored one of the tries of the season with a 90-metre solo effort, showcasing electric speed and agility. Involved in everything good Sale did: defending, running, and being generally outstanding. Clear Player of the Match.

10. George Ford – 8.5
Dictated play with composure, ran the game from his boot, and delivered great tactical kicking, including a couple of penalties. A composed and clinical performance.

9. Gus Warr – 7.5
Box-kicked very well, added some edge with niggly play, and mucked in with tackles when needed. A solid contribution in a high-tempo game.

Dominated in the scrum, winning countless penalties against an understrength tighthead. Made powerful hits and ran strongly to gain key metres. A Rolls-Royce of a prop.

2. Luke Cowan-Dickie – 7.5
Delivered a huge hit on Tom Willis that lifted the crowd and was physical throughout. Reliable in the set piece and played with controlled aggression.

3. Asher Opoku-Fordjour – 7
Helped earn scrum penalties but didn’t see much of the ball. Contributed with two important passes in the lead-up to the first try. Solid if not spectacular.

4. Ben Bamber – 6.5
Quiet overall but chipped in with some powerful tackles. Did the unseen work in the engine room and was part of a competitive forward pack.

5. Hyron Andrews – 6.5
Largely anonymous with no major moments of note, but didn’t make any errors. Played his role quietly and helped maintain structure.

Continued his strong run of form, covering ground well and making plenty of tackles. Made a key stop to halt a potential Saracens momentum shift.

7. Tom Curry – 7.5
An energetic and physical performance, with key tackles and a big second-half turnover in response to Ben Earl’s. Helped provide a platform for the backs to thrive.

8. Jean-Luc du Preez – 7.5
Industrious throughout, tackled well, and helped force a couple of penalties. Aided Cowan-Dickie in his big moment and ensured the back row functioned effectively.

Replacements – 8
Raffi Quirke was unlucky not to score due to a questionable knock-on call. The bench maintained intensity, especially the forwards, who ensured the physical standards stayed high. A strong contribution all around.