Castaignÿde inspiration secures dubious honour for Saracens

Saracens 26 Sale

In a bizarre match which swung first this way then that, only a cracking start and some spirited defence late on guaranteed Saracens the dubious honour of a quarter-final tie at Gloucester in the Powergen Cup, while simultaneously preserving their record of never having lost at home to Sale.

For their part, Gloucester have not lost at Kingsholm for 15 months, but the Saracens coach Wayne Shelford welcomed the draw saying: "I believe we can win at Kingsholm. Northampton did it when I played for them in 1991 and my guys proved that they can win away by beating Colomiers down there last week." One thing is for sure, Saracens cannot afford to make the same mistakes against Gloucester and lose control as they did so completely for much of the second half.

Sale had looked out of it after half an hour, but battled back in magnificent fashion to run the Watford-based side uncomfortably close. The Sale fly-half Charlie Hodgson, back from an 11-week lay-off following knee surgery, found himself under the cosh from the outset as the Saracen hordes descended on him like a rash.

Both he and his halfback partner Bryan Redpath were targeted and the result was poor quality ball which Sale found awkward to use. Their best bet, and the area in which they excelled most, was at the line-out – except when it mattered. Having dominated the line-out on their throw everywhere else on the pitch, when they had a couple five metres out from the Saracens line they lost both on their own throw.

Saracens on the other hand looked sharp. Their halfbacks, Kyran Bracken and Thomas Castaignède, took charge and ensured Saracens were well ahead by the end of the first quarter. Castaignède did miss a second-minute penalty, a very kickable effort from 30 metres, but that was the only glitch, the rest of the half was a fearfully one-sided affair.

A penalty at his second attempt was followed up by a superlative piece of thinking from the Frenchman, who launched a long miss-pass like a missile for centre Tom Shanklin to latch on to and run around what was left of the Sale cover.

Over went the conversion by Castaignède and five minutes later Shanklin penetrated the Sale defences yet again with a slicing run that ended just short of the line, cue Johnny Marsters' entrance. The prop who is built like a tank rumbled through. Again the conversion was added before Castaignède knocked over his second penalty and a 35-metre drop goal to put Saracens 23-0 ahead.

Amid all this scoring, Saracens had also contrived to drive their way over the line only for one unfortunate forward to spill the ball. However, after the interval, Sale, who finished the half with a solitary Hodgson penalty, emerged a different side. They introduced Kevin Yates and Charl Marais into the front row, which transformed their scrummaging. Saracens lost Castaignède to a groin problem and consequently some of their attacking focus.

However, it was a crass error which threatened to put the skids under Saracens. The second act began with a moment bordering on high farce. It was Sale's kick-off and Gerald Arasa and Bracken contrived to go for the ball simultaneously, the ball went forward and the outcome was a five-metre scrum to Sale and, a few moments later, a try after Redpath found No 8 Phil Davies with a long pass in space.

When the Saracens centre Tim Horan had a kick charged down it was the start of the build-up to Sale's second try, when Hodgson broke through and then converted his touchdown. That brought them to within three points of Saracens, but although they piled on the pressure the home side kept their heads and when Sale's over-eagerness at the breakdown was penalised Adrian Wynnan, who had taken over the kicking duties in the absence of Castaignède, landed the goal.

Saracens: Tries Shanklin, Marsters; Conversions Castaignède 2; Penalties Castaignede 2; Drop goal Castaignède. Sale: Tries Davies, Hodgson; Conversions Hodgson 2; Penalties Hodgson 2.

Saracens: A Wynnan; G Arasa, T Shanklin, T Horan (A Goode, 78), D O'Mahony; T Castaignède (K Sorrell, 54), K Bracken (capt); C Califano (J Ross 40+2 – h-t), M Cairns, J Marsters (J Ross, 66), S Hooper, C Yandell, T Roques (R Peacey, 66), K Chesney (B Skirving, 80+1), R Hill.

Sale: J Robinson; M Cueto, D Harris, G Bond, S Hanley; C Hodgson (V Going, 69), B Redpath (capt); J Thorp (K Yates, h-t), J Roddam (C Marais, h-t), B Stewart, C Jones, I Fullarton, P Anglesea, P Davies (A Sanderson, 54), S Pinkerton (R Wilks, 60).

Referee: D Pearson (Ashington).