Sale cut down to size by Blades' forwards

Newcastle 31 Sale

Not since Rob Andrew was wearing their No 10 shirt, have Newcastle turned in a dominant forward performance like this.

The days when the Falcons were capable of terrorising opposition packs ended when they said goodbye to Dean Ryan and his group of enforcers. Those times have not yet returned, though that will be of no comfort to Sale who were lacking three first-choice locks and paid a whopping price for their absence.

Andrew, now Newcastle's director of rugby, was quick to praise the way his forwards have improved in recent weeks, despite being obliged to call on several youngsters as injuries took their toll in the second half of a match played one force down from a howling gale.

"Because of the conditions," Andrew said, "it gave us a good opportunity to put some of Andy Blades' ideas into practice. We're not quite there yet, but we're getting there."

Blades is the Falcons forwards' coach recruited from ACT Brumbies in the summer, and his growing influence is improving Newcastle's competitiveness in those areas where they have been lacking conspicuously this season.

Sale, too, have invested in Australian talent from the Brumbies and it will not be long before we hear much more of Graeme Bond, whose arrival in the Sharks' centre looks as if it will reap a profitable dividend. He robbed Liam Botham in one wrap-up tackle as if he had been offered a toffee. Playing only his second game for Sale, Bond is already acutely aware how much his new team depend on creating space for their effectiveness.

Bond carved out half an acre before giving Steve Hanley an opportunity for a lengthy gallop. The big winger had plenty to do, but he skinned Michael Stephenson, before leaving the Wilkinson brothers for dead to score a sumptuous try.

While Kingston Park fell silent there was just the sound of some muted applause from Bond's former Brumbies mucker, Blades, though very soon it was the tuition of Blades which drew longer and louder approbation as the work he has done manifested itself with an impressive showing in the loose and burgeoning authority at the line-out. Sale's second-row rookies had no answer to it.

By shifting the point of attack at short-range line-outs, Newcastle scored two perfectly-executed tries, which would have drawn lavish praise from the coaching staff at Leicester, who know a thing or two about how to score tries from line-out drives.

Jon Dunbar claimed the first and Ian Peel the second. Sandwiched between these scores, Jamie Noon was on Stephenson's shoulder for the Falcons' third try, all converted by Jonny Wilkinson for the home side to turn round 24-10 to the good.

The second half was an anti-climax. Andrew had shuffled his backs, preparing them for 40 minutes of defensive chores. Although Sale shaded the half 10-7, Hall Charlton's try cemented a bonus point for Newcastle, while Phil Davies was in the sin-bin. Nick Walshe's try, conversion and second penalty were insufficient to save sorry Sale.

Newcastle: Tries Peel, Dunbar, Noon, Charlton. Conversions Wilkinson 4. Penalty Wilkinson. Sale: Tries Hanley, Walshe. Conversions Walshe 2. Penalties Walshe 2.

Newcastle: M Wilkinson (P Godman h-t); L Botham, J Noon, T May, M Stephenson; J Wilkinson (capt), H Charlton; I Peel (J Isaacson h-t), S Brotherstone (M Thompson, 56), M Hurter, C Hamilton, S Grimes, J Dunbar (S Otuvaka, 73), R Arnold (Dowson, 61), H Vyvyan (P Dowson, 6-10).

Sale: J Robinson; M Cueto, M Deane, G Bond, S Hanley; N Walshe, B Redpath (capt); J Thorp (K Yates, 56), A Titterrell (C Marais, 59), B Stewart (S Turner, 56), D Schofield, C Day, P Davies, S Pinkerton, P Anglesea.

Referee: A Rowden (Thatcham, Berks).