PWR: Sale Sharks 7-22 Gloucester-Hartpury - Circus extend undefeated streak in tough conditions

Sale held their own against the reigning three-time champions, throughout the game, however along with the weather conditions worsening with the pitch looking rather worse for wear, the Circus just seemed to up a gear in the latter part of the second half getting that all important bonus point try.

A quick start from the undefeated visitors, with the backs asserting their dominance with Mia Venner opening the scoring for the afternoon. The home side, try to respond, however their attack is stunted by the Gloucester-Hartpury, who then turn defence into attack.

Gloucester took advantage of Sale sloppiness, with Lleucu George executing some beautiful kicks into the corner before the forwards power it home with a driving maul with Kelsey Jones leading the pack and doubling the score in the eleventh minute. Sale responded quickly with a maul try of their own with hooker Milly Hyndman guiding the ball over the try.

Gloucester Hartpury continued to dominate the scrummaging, utilising it effortlessly in their attack. With Pip Hendy almost scoring the visitors third try. In doing so, she made an awkward landing, forcing her off after just 25 minutes with what seems to be an injury to the right arm/shoulder.

With just over half an hour played Gloucester Hartpury grow their lead further to ten points with a try from Emma Sing. With the first half nearing its end tempers flair between the Sale Captain and Gloucester’s Sarah Beckett.

Both teams make some changes at half time with Amy Cokayne and Courtney Keight on for Sale and Tatyana Heard and Kate Williams on for Gloucester. With 5 minutes of the second half played Sale’s Brittany Hogan makes her entrance into the game, making instant impact in the Sale Scrum and winning a key turnover.

Sale made yet another change with Canadian superstar Asia Hogan-Rochester coming on at the 54-minute mark with Sale on the attack. A triple change for Gloucester at the 55-minute mark with Maud Muir, Bethan Lewis and Ranni Samuda who came on to put Gloucester on the front foot again.

A great kick and run from Mia Venner gained Gloucester needed metres however the tricky wet and muddy conditions meant it was not to be. With Gloucester on the attack again, Sale continued to make changes with Amy Relf replacing Olivia Ortiz at scrum half.

Gloucester finally breaks the deadlock which has been this second half with Rachel Lund, who came on earlier than planned due to Pip Hendy’s injury, scoring Gloucester’s fourth try and earning them a try scoring bonus point.

Sale once again call on reinforcement with Tysh Harper joining the game to try and keep the visitors at bay. Gloucester’s Sian Jones comes on from Emma Sing and makes almost an instant impact, and she was quickly joined by replacement hooker Lucy Simpson. The visitors seemed to up a gear after scoring their first try launching continuous attack on the Sale defence.

With the additions of make Evie Roach and Iona Antwis Sale finally get out of their half for the first time in a while. However, it wasn’t long until Gloucester Hartpury pushed back. With Erica Jarrell-Searcy forced off with injury with 5 minutes to go and no substitutions left Sale go down to 14 for the remainder of the game.

Player of the Match: Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury)

Tries: Hyndman (17’)

Conversions: Aitchinson (18’)

Starting XV: 1 Nick James 2 Milly Hyndman, 3 Sophie Benavent,, 4 Morwenna Talling, 5 Erica Jarrell-Searcy, 6 Georgie Perris-Redding (C), 7 Katie Childs, 8 Sharifa Kasolo, 9 Olivia Ortiz, 10 Holly Aitchison, 11 Shona Campbell, 12 Katana Howard, 13 Evie Wills, 14 Rhona Lloyd, 15 Lizzie Duffy

Replacements: 16 Amy Cokayne, 17 Tysh Harper, 18 Evie Roach, 19 Brittany Hogan, 20 Iona Antwis, 21 Amy Relf, 22 Asia Hogan-Rochester, 23 Courtney Keight.

Tries: Venner (2’) Jones (11’) Sing (31’) Lund (62’)

Conversions: Sing (12’)

Starting XV: 1 Niamh O’Dowd, 2 Kelsey Jones, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 4 Sam Monaghan, 5 Sarah Beckett, 6 Steph Else, 7 Georgia Brock, 8 Alex Matthews, 9 Natasha Hunt (C), 10 Emma Sing

Replacements: 16 Lucy Simpson, 17 Ranni Samuda, 18 Maud Muir, 19 Kate Williams, 20 Bethan Lewis, 21 Sian Jones, 22 Tatyana Heard, 23 Rachel Lund