Gloucester's singular approach pays off

Sale 11 Gloucester 33

Gloucester ensured that Saturday's Zurich Championship final will be an all-West Country affair yesterday thanks to a dominant performance by their forwards, who denied Sale any worthwhile territory and workable possession for long periods. Gloucester's one-dimensional approach gave them a 19-3 advantage at the break and when Sale eventually broke free from their stranglehold, to pull back to 11-19, the referee Steve Lander failed to spot a huge knock-on when Andy Gomarsall was allowed to escape and score under the posts.

That was the end for the Parker Pen Shield winners, for whom this was a game too far and probably their last at Heywood Road if the club's owner, Brian Kennedy, realises his plan to relocate Sale to Bury Football Club's Gigg Lane ground. Given Kennedy's accusations of unhelpfulness by Trafford Council, that now seems more probable than possible.

Gloucester have more immediate matters to attend to with the Bristol showdown. Mind you, the Shed faithful will need no reminding that Gloucester have hardly distinguished themselves in club finals since they were first winners of the National Knock-out Cup in 1972. When Gloucester were last at Twickenham, 12 years ago, they were demolished by Bath whose winning margin of 42 points remains the largest in 30 years of senior club finals at headquarters.

But this is a very different Gloucester than the team humiliated in 1990 although they will probably be without James Simpson-Daniel, James Forrester should be fit for Saturday.

For a side whose success this season has been marked by the sharpest handling in the Premiership, Sale fumbled and frittered away much of what little ball they won. Mark Cueto's try was a rare highlight, but Ludovic Mercier collected 18 points with a drop goal, three penalties and converted all Gloucester's tries.

Sale: Try Cueto; Penalties Hodgson 2. Gloucester: Tries Sewabu, Gomarsall, Beim; Conversions Mercier 3; Penalties Mercier 3; Drop Goal Mercier.

Sale: J Robinson; M Cueto, M Shaw, D Harris (J Baxendell, 58), S Hanley (V Going, 29); C Hodgson, B Redpath (capt; A Dickens 18-27); K Yates, A Titterrell (B Jackman, 67), S Turner ((B Stewart, 48), S Lines, C Jones, S Pinkerton, A Sanderson (A Perelini 27-35), P Anglesea (Perelini, 73),

Gloucester: H Paul; D O'Leary, T Fanolua (C Catling, 63), R Todd, T Beim (Catling, 48-56); L Mercier, A Gomarsall (D Yachvili, 80); P Collazo (T Woodman, 59), O Azam (C Fortey, 79), P Vickery (capt; A Deacon, 79), E Pearce (C Gillies 69), R Fidler, J Boer, K Sewabu, J Paramore.

Referee: S Lander (Wirrall; S Leyshon, Bristol 80).