Sale Sharks begin 2022 perfectly with a bonus point victory over Wasps

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Sale Sharks started the new year with a 26-18 bonus point victory over Wasps at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Tries from Jean-Luc du Preez, Marland Yarde, Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Ben Curry saw Sale get the job done and leapfrog the visitors in the Premiership table.

A new year but the same disappointing showing from Wasps in Salford who fell to another defeat, their 12th loss in the last 14 games at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Lee Blackett’s side were able to earn their first win in three years at this ground last season and they would have been hoping for a repeat of the result when Josh Bassett opened the scoring inside the first five minutes.

Sharks were pinned on their 10-metre line, and from the lineout maul, Wasps worked the ball from right to left with Bassett in acres of space to score the first Premiership try of 2022. Unfortunately for the visitors, Jimmy Gopperth was unable to convert and add the extra two points.

Sale had only lost once in their last 13 matches on home soil as they responded eight minutes later. Du Preez tumbled over from close range to level the contest before AJ MacGinty’s conversion put the hosts ahead.

Wasps regained the lead minutes later through Gopperth’s kick, however, Sale once again fought back quickly to cross for their second try of the contest after 17 minutes.

New year, same @YardeM ?@SaleSharksRugby extending their lead through the winger with an accurate score ?#SALvWAS | #GallagherPrem pic.twitter.com/V4zgWWmRCI

— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) January 1, 2022

From the 22 metre line, the Sharks, via MacGinty and Luke James, worked the ball into the hands of Marland Yarde, who under pressure on the touchline, was able to squeeze the ball down for his third try of the season.

After Gopperth missed his second kick of the afternoon from the tee, the hosts’ freshness started to prevail against a tiring Wasps side who played their last fixture on Boxing Day.

Sharks crossed for their third try of the match on the half-hour mark. After patient build-up, Rohan Janse van Rensburg powered his way over from close range, and with a successful conversion, Sale’s lead increased to 11 points.

The home supporters were celebrating five minutes later when Ewan Ashman crashed over. However, upon a TMO review, the celebrations and Sale’s bonus point score was ruled out after Rob du Preez was penalised for joining the drive too early.

Sale led 19-8 at half-time and they widened their lead to 18 points three minutes after the restart when Ben Curry capitalised on a visitors error.

MacGinty, who was named Man of the Match, perfectly executed a grubber kick that found touch five metres out. From the resulting lineout, an overthrown pass was intercepted by the flanker who managed to stretch the ball over the line.

Referee Ian Tempest checked with TMO for a possible double movement, however, Sale weren’t to be denied their third try bonus point of the season.

As the game progressed, Sharks became ill-disciplined which allowed Wasps to narrow the points difference by three points after a Gopperth penalty goal.

Jono Ross received a team warning for repeated infringements, and minutes later, substitute Coenie Oosthuizen was sent to the sin-bin for the remainder of the match after he committed a tackle off the ball.

Wasps’ time in the Salford sunshine was littered with errors, missed kicks and haltings in the 22 preventing points being taken. However, they did cross for a consolation through Gopperth as the game came to an end.

A quickly taken penalty moved the visitors inside the 22 before the fly-half, who switched from centre as a result of Jacob Umaga suspension, powered his way through Sam James to force the score.

The simple conversion in front of the posts added two points, however, it was not enough of a difference for Wasps to leave with a losing bonus point.

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