Sale Sharks defy the deluge to extend Exeter’s winless Premiership run
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Sale Sharks navigated a game effort from Exeter Chiefs and horrendous pre-Christmas conditions to move into fourth place and extend the visitors’ winless start to the season in the process. Both these sides needed victory here for very different reasons. Sale’s playoff hopes approached a decisive juncture after a sluggish start to the campaign while Exeter were arguably in even more need of points and some semblance of hope to cling onto as Christmas approaches. But in the end, it was Alex Sanderson’s side who prevailed.
They were not at their best, but their extraordinary home record continued here with a 25th win in 27 games in the north. Sale are now firmly in the playoff picture as the season approaches the halfway mark and while this was far from their most glamorous victory of recent years, it was a result which felt important - not least because of the wild, wet and chaotic conditions which surrounded the Salford Community Stadium.
Exeter remain bottom and without a win, though they are still within striking distance of Newcastle just ahead of them. There is no shortage of endeavour in their play but Rob Baxter will likely reflect on another frustrating evening when his side failed to mount any sort of meaningful challenge against a Sale side who, in truth, had the Chiefs at arm’s length.
The visitors moved into an early lead with a Henry Stade penalty but most of the early pressure came from the Sharks. However, they were incredibly sloppy in the opening quarter, with their profligacy underlined by two poorly-executed lineout routines that saw the ball go to ground with Sale in prime attacking position on both occasions.
