 | MATCH SUMMARY Sale (6) 35
Tries: Mayor (2), Lund, Wigglesworth
Cons:Hodgson (3)
Pens: Courrent, Hodgson (2) Leeds (10) 24
Tries: Thomas, Ross, Biggs
Cons: Ross (3)
Pen: Ross |
Premiership leaders Sale scored three tries in injury time to seal an astonishing comeback win over Leeds. The Tykes had the perfect start when Nathan Thomas crossed after just a minute while a Gordon Ross penalty put them 10-6 ahead at half-time.
Sale hit back with a try from Chris Mayor but converted scores from Ross and Tom Biggs gave Leeds a 24-16 lead.
But Magnus Lund, Mayor and Richard Wigglesworth crossed in a four-minute spell in stoppage time to seal the win.
The bonus-point win extends Sale's lead at the top of the Premiership table while defeat leaves Leeds five points adrift at the bottom.
Leeds started the game by bombarding England wing Mark Cueto who was playing at full-back for Sale.
The tactic paid dividends when Cueto spilled an early high ball and Thomas was on hand to touch down.
Sale fly-half Valentin Courrent, starting in place of the rested Charlie Hodgson, exchanged penalties with Ross but had to leave the field injured with a shoulder injury.
Hodgson was forced to come on and added two penalties either side of the break before Mayor took advantage of a gap in midfield to put Sale ahead for the first time.
The game seemed over when Ross powered over the line and Biggs collected Ross' grubber kick on halfway to cross two minutes from time.
But Lund scored in the corner to start Sale's revival before Mayor got on the end of a length-of-the-field move to send the home crowd into raptures.
And Wigglesworth capped a stunning four minutes when he crossed under the posts after some sloppy Leeds defending.
Sale director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre:
"I am sad for Leeds but I am proud of my squad. We never gave up, and that has been the ethic of this club for the last few years. "If you'd have told me five minutes before the end of the game that we would win and score four tries I wouldn't have believed you.
"This is something we weren't doing last year when we got only five points from the six games over the international period.
"We knew that Leeds are playing well at the moment and are desperate for points. We weren't clinical - but this team is starting to get the winning habit."
Leeds rugby director Phil Davies:
"It's disappointing - because for the second game in a row away from home, we put ourselves in a position to win the game and haven't. "It's frustrating, and the players are devastated because they put so much effort in. We deserved to win the game, let alone get a bonus point.
"But Sale aren't top of the league for nothing. They are a good team, potentially the champions of England."
Sale: Cueto; Ripol, Taylor, Todd, Hanley; Courrent, Martens; Sheridan, Titterrell, Stewart; Lobbe, Schofield; C Jones, Lund, Chabal.
Replacements: Mayor for Todd (53), Hodgson for Courrent (20), Wigglesworth for Martens (73), Bruno for Titterrell (70), Turner for Stewart (51), Bonner-Evans for Lobbe (73), White for Lund (79).
Leeds: De Marigny; Doherty, Craig, Snyman, Biggs; Ross, Marshall; Lensing, Rawlinson, Gerber; Hooper, Palmer; Dunbar, Parks, Thomas.
Replacements: Bulloch for Rawlinson (59), Murphy for Hooper (63), Crane for Dunbar (36).
Not Used: Shelley, Kerr, Myall, Rees.
Sin Bin: Crane (38).
Att: 10,224
Referee: C White (RFU).
MMIX
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