Sharks hit sorry Quins for six

Sale Sharks started 2020 in sensational fashion with a 48-10 rout of Harlequins at AJ Bell Stadium.

Having been edged out by Bath last time out, Sale returned to winning ways in emphatic fashion in Friday’s Premiership encounter, scoring six tries.

Akker van der Merwe, Sam James, Luke James, Rob Webber, Chris Ashton and Rohan Janse van Rensburg all crossed as the Sharks moved up to third in a congested table.

The points spree came after Quins had gone ahead in sensational fashion after five minutes. Marcus Smith hacked clear from near his own line and Gabriel Ibitoye raced onto the ball, kicked on again and sprinted to the line.

FULL TIME | Sale Sharks 48-10 @Harlequins

Second half tries from @ChrisAshton1, @robwebber2 & @Rohanjvr12 and the pin-point boot of Rob Du Preez ensures #YourSharks take maximum points into the new year!#SALvHAR @UKFast @ccibuk pic.twitter.com/O3SitT7xXL

— Sale Sharks (@SaleSharksRugby) January 3, 2020

That is as good as things got for the visitors, though. Robert du Preez’s penalty put Sale on the board and Van der Merwe crossed for the third game in a row after easing past a weak Danny Care tackle.

Sam James was the beneficiary when Sale made the most of a poor Vereniki Goneva offload on the opposition 22 and, although Smith’s penalty briefly reduced the gap, Luke James showed great pace for his side’s third try on the stroke of half-time.

Joe Marler’s sin-binning for a silly push of the forearm into the face of Jean-Luc du Preez did little to slow the Sharks, who went over again when Webber dotted down at the back of a driving maul.

Ashton completed a well-worked team move with nine minutes remaining and Van Rensburg burst through a gap with the clock in the red to complete a dominant win.

KEO.co.za News wire is powered by opta