Sale Sharks defy the deluge to extend Exeter’s winless Premiership run

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.

But you felt it was a case of when, rather than if, Sale’s first try would arrive. It came on 21 minutes, with the Sharks’ persistence paying off and a fine move allowing Luke James to pierce a gap in the Exeter defence to put the hosts ahead. Exeter were certainly holding their own despite that setback but as half-time approached and conditions continued to worsen, a pivotal few moments swung things firmly Sale’s way.

First, the Chiefs lost Immanuel Feyi-Waboso to injury, the England player clutching his shoulder as he departed seven minutes before half-time. Slade then pulled a penalty wide from range as the wind picked up before, two minutes later, Sale struck a decisive blow as a long-range break from deep was finished expertly by Tom Carpenter.

Rob du Preez made no mistake with the conversion and while he was off the mark with a penalty attempt on the hooter, what had threatened to be a close contest at the break was now firmly in Sale’s grasp with an 11-point lead which, at their home ground, often can feel like a much more significant margin for travelling teams to overturn.

And that lead felt even more commanding by the time the second half began because the already poor conditions took a somewhat apocalyptic turn during the interval. The first score after the break was decisive and it came for Sale courtesy of a penalty try which also saw the returning Exeter captain, Dafydd Jenkins, sent to the sin-bin for dragging the maul down.

The game was now gone, but Exeter’s determination was rewarded with their first try through Jimmy Roots. However, Sale’s bonus point try would soon follow as Jonny Hill scored the Sharks’ fourth.