BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | English | Gloucester thrash Sale

Gloucester 44-8 Sale

Gloucester underlined that Kingsholm will once again be a fortress this season with an impressive win over last season's league runners-up.

The hosts were behind until first-half injury time, but once they had taken the lead courtesy of Henry Paul's try they never looked back.

Second-half scores from James Forrester (2), Tom Beim, Jake Boer and a first league try for ex-Springbok Thinus Delport, gave the hosts the maximum five points.

Gloucester have won both their league games so far, but initially it did not look like it was going to be their day as Mark Cueto silenced the Shed with a third-minute try.

Gloucester's Henry Paul is tackled by Sale's Brian Redpath
Paul's try set the hosts on their way to victory

The winger was on the end of an impressive team effort from the Sharks which started from a line-out.

Charlie Hodgson moved the ball wide to Tom Beim and he combined with Jason Robinson before Cueto scored on the right.

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However, Hodgson was not having a good day with the boot and appeared rattled by the home crowd.

The second-choice England fly-half missed the conversion and also failed with a penalty minutes later.

Fly-half Ludovic Mercier finally broke Gloucester's duck after 15 minutes with two penalties and the home side then went on to test the Sharks defence.

The visitors looked like they had done enough to keep the lead at the break after adding a penalty and backing it up with some aggressive defence.

There is no point talking about how much we won the game by because the potential to improve is still massive

Gloucester coach
Dean Ryan

But with three minutes injury time already played the hosts took the lead through Paul.

His try proved to be the catalyst for a spectacular start to the second half, with the West country outfit scoring three tries in the space of just 10 minutes.

Up-and-coming youngster Forrester scored the second try then set up the next, making a magnificent break through the Sharks midfield.

Robinson finally caught up with him, but Gloucester kept the momentum going and Beim finally muscled his way over the line.

Mercier converted before summer signing Delport scored his first league try to give Gloucester a comfortable 22-point cushion.

Flankers Boer and Forrester then added two further tries to round off an impressive display by the Cherry and Reds in their first home game of the season.

Gloucester: Paul, Delport, Fanolua, Todd, Beim, Mercier, Gomarsall, Woodman, Azam, Vickery, Pearce, Cornwell, Boer, Hazell, Paramore.

Replacements: Stuart-Smith, Garvey, Simpson-Daniel, Collazo, Fortey, Forrester, Fidler.

Tries: Paul, Forrester 2, Beim, Delport, Boer; Cons: Mercier 4; Pens: Mercier 2.

Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Baxendell, Deane, Hanley, Hodgson, Redpath, Yates, Marais, Stewart, C. Jones, Schofield, A. Sanderson, Pinkerton, Anglesea.

Replacements: Titterrell, Thorp, Lines, Perelini, Harris, Going, Walshe.

Tries: Cueto; Pens: Hodgson.

Ref: Dave Pearson (RFU).

Att: 9,544


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