Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Sale beat Harlequins in great match at the Stoop

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Sale beat Harlequins in great match at the Stoop

In what was without a doubt one of the most entertaining games of the weekend, Sale went to the Twickenham Stoop and picked up a bonus-point win as they beat Harlequins 29-19 in a thrilling Heineken Cup encounter.

Harlequins are now bottom of Pool Five after three defeats and will need a miracle to reach the quarter-finals after they were outscored by four tries to three.

The match was played at a high tempo as both sides showed attack intent from the start. It was Sale though who made the first breakthrough with an excellent try in the seventh minute for Dwayne Peel.

Sale then doubled their lead through Nick Macleod, and with both tries having been converted by Charlie Hodgson, they were off to a 14-0 lead.

Harlequins flyhalf, New Zealander Nick Evans, then showed his class as he attacked the line then chipped the defense before regathering to beat the covering Macleod for a great try.

From the kick-off, a loss in concentration led Nick Easter to drop the ball under pressure which allowed David Seymour to pounce on the loose ball and dart away for a try to silence to crowd.

Quins then got back into the game with a lovely try, finished David Strettle, but made by great hands from Chris Robshaw and Chris Brooker in the tightest of spaces.

Four minutes into the second half Easter scored by battering his way over the Sale line for a try that Evans duly converted. Sale then scored another cracking try after some quality passing. This time it was former England winger Ben Cohen who dived over in the corner, scoring his 33rd European try in both competitions.

This match was a breath of fresh air and a great example of how rugby should, and can, be played if both teams have the right attitude going in to it.

Will Greenwood also managed to come up with a rather amusing piece of commentary as he described Charlie Hodgson’s run in that last try.

"Hips swivelling.. Which way am I going..? I’m dancing. I’m a little matador!"

Bill Mclaren eat your heart out.

Time: 05:04

Woop first comment. Go Van Mildert College, Durham University

By Mildertian, at December 15, 2009 4:15 pm
excellent game, still bummed that Quins lost tho!

A prime example of free-flowing rugby, and in the NH no less!! Looks like the NH is catching up to the SH, and its setting up a real cracker of a WC in 2011!

And the first comment was wasted, so i'll claim the first proper comment!!

By Anonymous, at December 15, 2009 4:52 pm
Excellent game indeed. Everyone was great: The players, the ref, even the commentators!

By Thomas, at December 15, 2009 4:56 pm
Lol at greenwood that line sounds like something out of mighty boosh, great game of rugby

By Jack, at December 15, 2009 5:46 pm
Great game haven't seen sale play that well for a while.
Any chance of Ospreys vs Viadana & Tigers vs Clermont highlights?

By WelshOsprey, at December 15, 2009 5:57 pm
Those hightlights can be found on youtube surely, but it would be nice to feature them here. Spec. Clermont - Leicester is worhtwile

By Unknown, at December 15, 2009 6:01 pm
Some fantastic tries there - if only more NH teams would take risks like this! The first try in particular was satisfying as it came from Quins kicking the ball away - if only more kicks resulted in tries like that perhaps people would kick less?

By Ted, at December 15, 2009 6:51 pm
Did the Northern Hemi teams have some sort of secret meeting last week and decide play good rugby again?

Some great matches this week.

By Anonymous, at December 15, 2009 7:50 pm
Where's all the Southern Hemisphere rugby??

By Anonymous, at December 15, 2009 10:33 pm
Quality game and excellent to see both teams 1st instinct is not to kick the ball back aimlessly to the other team when there is a chance of a counter attack. Hopefully this weeks HC matches will bring more of the same...

By Anonymous, at December 15, 2009 10:34 pm
WHICH Southern Hemisphere rugby Anonymous?? Please do tell. I'm curious as to which tournaments I'm missing out on at the moment.

By Dave, at December 15, 2009 11:01 pm
Great looking game but...terrible missed tackle by the 14 when Harlequins scored from that chip and go.

By Anonymous, at December 15, 2009 11:43 pm
Huge tackle around 15 minute mark by Lee Thomas on Will Skinner.

Need to get that up please, RD!

By jackohos, at December 16, 2009 10:53 am
Will do Jackohos. Thanks for the time it was at. I missed that one somehow.

By GMC, at December 16, 2009 11:32 am
Nick Evans is class... shame for the small crowd

By Juggernauter, at December 16, 2009 2:57 pm
"WHICH Southern Hemisphere rugby Anonymous?? Please do tell. I'm curious as to which tournaments I'm missing out on at the moment."

Australian university/club rugby games have been entertaining, especially since most of the Wallaby players are participating.

SA under 20 "Royal 15" have been touring New Zealand. A lot of the games have aired on the Rugby Channel.

Southern Kingz played Zimbabwe a couple of weeks ago. Defence was lacking but it was an exciting close game.

By Anonymous, at December 16, 2009 4:09 pm
Those don't really compare to Heineken Cup rugby though mate.. in all fairness. Maybe the Aussie comp could, if that's the equivalent of club/provincial rugby elsewhere. But then again, get the footage and send it to RD, and maybe they'll show it. I'm curious now too myself.

By Dave, at December 17, 2009 9:25 pm