Wasps 19-20 Sale Sharks: Beaumont’s try at the death gave ill-disciplined Sharks victory over Wasps

Sale Sharks snatched a 20-19 victory over Wasps at the Ricoh Arena, despite receiving four yellow cards in 20 second half minutes.

Josh Beaumont’s last-gasp try inflicted a fifth consecutive home defeat on Wasps, as Sharks leapfrog Harlequins to go third in the Gallagher Premiership table.

A fast paced opening 10 minutes saw Sharks open the scoring when Akker van der Merwe crossed off the back of a 5m lineout maul.

The South African hooker orchestrated the lineout drive expertly before peeling off through a gap to score, with Rob du Preez adding the extras.

The visitors lead lasted minutes as Wasps responded with a try of their own finished by Malakai Fekitoa who sprinted clear down the left.

A fantastic pass on halfway from Jimmy Gopperth- which survived a TMO review- set up the attack which was finished off by the former All Black who out paced the covering defender to score.

A penalty apiece set the score to 10-10 midway through the half, before injuries forced Wasps into changes.

Brad Shields failed a HIA following a head collision with his own teammate, and then his replacement, Theo Vukasinovic was carried off after injuring his lower leg.

Constant Sharks pressure in the closing stages of the half forced the hosts into conceding a penalty, which was kicked by R. du Preez to give Sale a 13-10 lead at the break.

Sale’s first yellow card of the game came after 47 minutes when Luke James was sent to the bin for dangerous play.

The fullback was ruled to have been at fault in the tackle, despite Josh Bassett’s loss of footing, and the game was levelled with Gopperth’s penalty resulting penalty.

With James still in the bin, Sharks were reduced to 13 when van der Merwe was shown yellow for a high tackle.

Wasps piled the pressure on a disadvantaged Sharks side, who after being back to 14, were soon reduced back to 13 when Byron McGuigan halted an attack with a deliberative knock on.

Referee, Christophe Ridley show yellow to the Sharks winger- a third in 11 minutes- and from the penalty, Gopperth kicked Wasps into the lead on the hour.

The troubles worsened for Sharks who were reduced to 13 for a second time when substitute AJ MacGinty knocked on.

After the offence had initially been missed, a TMO review highlighted the fly-half had deliberately knocked forward and the official was left no option but to show a fourth yellow- the first time Sale Sharks have had four yellow cards in a Premiership match.

Wasps added three more points from the tee to widen their advantage to six with 10 minutes remaining.

As Sharks’ players returned from the bin, Alex Sanderson’s side increased the pressure and were awarded a penalty when former Shark, Paolo Odogwu was ruled to have been off his feet.

From the 5m lineout, a driving maul saw Wasps penalised for collapsing and Gabriel Oghre was shown yellow for the part he played.

Sharks reset from the lineout and an incredible team push drove Beaumont towards the line, and the lock was able to crash over with less than a minute to go.

R. du Preez slotted the extras from the touchline conversion to send Sharks back to the North West with a hard-fought victory and their third in a row at on Wasps soil.

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