Saracens 15 Sale Sharks 13

Sale have learnt a thing or two about cancelled matches in the past week, after the rather ungracious visit of Wasps to Edgeley Park. Saracens didn’t go so far as to give up on the performance, but they did rein it in to the point where very little spectacle was involved. The weather made that inevitable, and in the end Saracens’ kicking game was vindicated by the win.  Though the margin was tight, Saracens might have been another sixteen points in the lead.

From the first, Saracens looked to be the stronger team. After four minutes, a driving maul hurtled through the Sale line like a freight train. So fast, in fact, that it practically collapsed itself. Nonetheless, the penalty went against the defenders and Derick Hougaard got the home side off the mark.

That wasn’t the last of Saracens’ chances, either. From a scrum, a set piece Saracens dominated, Hougaard threw the ball out with such speed that Alex Goode couldn’t collect with the line begging.

Minutes later, Hougaard having missed the opportunity to double the lead, another striking maul crossed the line but the unfortunate mass of bodies left the television match official unable to award the try, much to Carlos Nieto’s disappointment.

The game turned soon after. Given a sniff of the try line, Sale were a different team but the definitive point came when Alex Goode, unalterably solid under the high ball in spite of the rain, went off injured after one of several Sale tackles that just happened to catch players in the air.

Lacking his generalship at the back, Noah Cato was caught embarrassingly out of position as a Charlie Hodgson chip sailed over his head. Ben Cohen was quickly onto the chance, but seemed to hesitate with the tryline beckoning. The ball was quickly re-worked, and despite two ferocious tackles first by Schalk Brits, and then Rhys Gill, Sale were perfectly positioned for Sale number eight Sisa Koyamaibole to twist over the line.

Saracens were good enough to come back with a further two penalties, including one from the restart. But Hodgson also struck, giving Saracens a second half chase.

And chase they did, although the kick always came first. With puddles starting to form even on the Stadio Vicario’s specially planted pitch, the footing became looser and the potential for knock ons greater. Although the effect on the crowd was dispiriting, and while it seems counter intuitive, Saracens’ reliance on kicking meant that they didn’t knock on once in their own half. In the whole of the second half, Sale managed only three points, and that when Saracens had taken the lead.

Saracens showed some moments of brightness. Chris Wyles, who having taken on full back duties was faultless, carved up the Sale defence returning yet another kick. But Cato was again found wanting and static when Cohen ran onto a Hodgson cross-field kick.

The continuing inclement weather made lineouts and scrums more unpredictable but with ten minutes to go Hougaard put Sarries in front and extended the lead. Sale came back, but lacked the power to make inroads.

Brendan Venter, with characteristic enthusiasm for blunt and contrary opinions, declared that Hougaard ‘was outstanding.’ I think he was broadly right, that his fly-half’s kicking controlled the game. More important perhaps was his prediction that as Saracens approach half way in the league unbeaten, they ‘are good enough as a squad’ to win. The evidence is strongly in his favour.