Rugby Union: Back's tigerish efforts rewarded

Leicester 31

Sale 15

IT NEEDED a late flourish from Neil Back to snuff out Sale's fire in an Allied Dunbar Premiership match that managed to overcome appalling conditions and send a near 10,000 crowd out into the streets with a warm glow. There were also 16 points from the boot of Leicester fly-half Joel Stransky to maintain Tigers' challenge.

Back, in fact, scored two tries, his early try, a catch and drive from a line-out had promised much, but the swirling, capricious wind sided with Sale thereafter and the Tigers' cause was not helped by a string of penalties generally through slipshod groundwork. It allowed Sale's Shane Howarth to kick three points off that slender Leicester advantage.

It was not warning enough to the Tigers though, and the profligacy and indiscipline continued and eventually cost Leicester the lead. Another penalty saw Sale bury the ball deep in the opposition half for a line- out. Chris Murphy took it off the top and the ball was whipped out to John Devereux who sent out a perfect overhead pass for Howarth to run on to and touch down in the corner. He topped off the whole thing with the conversion.

There had been some quite brilliant handling from the Tigers, forwards and backs combining beautifully. Out on the left wing Nnamdi Ezulike scudded towards the Sale line, in the middle Martin Corry's heavyweight rushes scattered any lightweight in his way.

But for all their enterprise Leicester found Sale's defences in turn lucky and plucky. Typically it was a penalty which brought the Tigers back within touching distance shortly before the interval.

It took the home side just 32 seconds of the second half to restore normal service when Sale failed to retain possession on their own throw-in within striking distance of their line. Leicester flanker Paul Gustard collected the bobbling ball and crashed over for a try to which Stransky added the conversion.

Conditions by now had deteriorated markedly. With the cold driving rain at their backs Tigers began to burn brighter, there was a better structure to their progress upfield and their discipline improved.

Leicester's line-out superiority began to tell as Martin Johnson and Fritz Van Heerden helped themselves. The rest of the Tigers' pack did their bit too. There were periods of play in which the forwards battered away like a medieval siege machine, thudding into Sale bodies as they worked closer to the line. Two more penalties from Stransky had eased them further ahead by then, although by no means did they look safe. There was enough threat left in the Sale side to warrant more effort from Leicester.

Sadly Sale's cause was undone by some wanton foul play at a line-out. Flanker Peter Anglesea ended up in the sin-bin and his team under a great deal of pressure when the flanker under cut Van Heerden as he jumped for the ball. It had been Anglesea's impetuous tackle on a Leicester man at the restart following Stransky's third penalty which had led to the line- out in the first place.

Sale wriggled off that particular hook but eventually further pressure told when their midfield was caught offside and Stransky was presented with a simple penalty kick.

But Sale had not given up and from the restart scrum-half Richard Smith, following up darted between two slow thinking Tigers, scooped up the ball and raced over unopposed. But the Tigers snarled their way back upfield. Back broke, made ground, found Will Greenwood in support, stayed with it and finished off the 40-metre move for his second try and the decisive score of the match.

Leicester: T Stimpson (M Horak, 77); Nnamdi Ezulike, W Greenwood, P Howard (J Stuart, 77), L Lloyd; J Stransky, A Healey; D Jelley (P Freshwater, 73), D West, D Garforth, M Johnson (capt), F Van Heerden (N Fletcher, 77), P Gustard, M Corry, N Back (L Moody, 77).

Sale: S Howarth (capt); S Hanley, B-J Mather, J Devereux, S Davidson; J Baxendell, R Smith; D Bell, S Diamond (D Geraghty, 64), A Smith, S Raiwalui, C Murphy, P Anglesea, J Machacek, P Sanderson (D O'Cuinneagain, 64).

Referee: Chris Reeks (Frome).