Advertisement
James (24'), Wills (46')
Tries
Yeandle (54'), Woodburn (61'), Sio (69')
Ford (25', 47')
Conversions
Slade (55', 61', 70')
Ford (11', 14', 18', 38')
Penalties
Slade (5', 16')
Sale 26–27 Exeter turned into a late twist at the CorpAcq: a match Sale had largely under control before Exeter landed three exacting second-half blows to steal it at the finish. The early flashpoint came inside five minutes when Tom Curry was sin-binned for a high shot on Josh Hodge, yet Sale settled quickly behind George Ford’s game management.
The opening quarter was a metronome of threes: Slade 3–0, Ford 3–3, Ford 6–3, Slade 6–6, Ford 9–6. Five kicks, no frills — just territory, pressure and two kickers trading standards from the tee. From there Sale found the first crack in open play: on 25 minutes Luke James finished neatly down the short side after slick phase shape, and Ford’s conversion pushed it to 16–6. Another Ford penalty on 39 sent the hosts in 19–6, fully in rhythm — tidy exits, clean breakdown, disciplined defence.
Right after the interval Sale seemed to shut the door. On 47 minutes Alex Wills dotted down in the left corner from quick ruck ball; Ford’s conversion on 48 stretched it to 26–6. With collisions being won and territory under control, the hosts looked serene.
Then Exeter flipped the current. Bench energy and accuracy turned moments into pressure. On 55 minutes Jack Yeandle powered over from close range; Slade converted for 26–13. Seven minutes later, 62, Olly Woodburn finished wide after back-to-back dominant carries; Slade stayed perfect, 26–20. Sale’s once-smooth rhythm turned scratchy: one exit too short, support a beat late at the ruck, a penalty that flipped the field.
The decisive blow came on 70 minutes. After sustained advantage and tight carries, Scott Sio rumbled over; Slade’s third conversion on 71 completed the swing to 26–27. From there Exeter managed the margins with cold clarity — long kicks, hungry chase, hard line speed — while Sale’s last two forays unraveled on a spill and an isolation penalty.
The verdict: Sale wrote 60 minutes of a winning template but couldn’t close. Exeter wrote the final chapter with ruthless precision — three chances created, three taken — and that was enough.
