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Guinness Premiership Final '09
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Sale Sharks
Leeds Carnegie 20 - 34 Sale Sharks
Leeds Carnegie v Sale Sharks
Match Details
Half-Time: 10 - 13
Att: 11,116
Referee:
Venue: Headingley Carnegie
Date: Sun 30th Dec 2007
Quick Stats
Tries: 7
Conversion: 5
Penalties: 3
Drop Goals: 0
0 0
Previous Meeting
Sharks29 - 3Leeds
Leeds20 - 34Sharks
Sharks35 - 24Leeds
Leeds11 - 17Sharks
Sharks45 - 10Leeds
Sale quell spirited Leeds to score fourth straight win
Sale survived an early scare to claim their fourth successive win and leave spirited Leeds rock-bottom of the Guinness Premiership in front of Headingley's biggest crowd of the season.
Leeds, who have struggled desperately since returning to the top flight, belied their lowly status to dominate the opening quarter and establish a 10-0 lead after 12 minutes.

The Yorkshiremen's early dominance was fashioned on an aggressive pack, obstinate defending and a remarkable work-rate.

A converted try from prop Tommy McGee in the seventh minute and a penalty from full-back Leigh Hinton were the least they deserved for their superiority.

That it took Sale until the 26th minute to register their first points said much for Leeds' early excellence.

But as the majority of a 11,116 crowd scented Leeds' first-ever victory against Sale in 12 attempts, the visitors woke up and remembered they could actually perform.

Fly-half Charlie Hodgson converted the first of Lee Thomas' two tries on the stroke of half-time to add to two earlier penalties and give the Sharks a 13-10 interval advantage.

Thomas added his second on the hour mark and despite Tom Biggs replying for Leeds in the 65th minute, Sale hit back again when centre Chris Mayor and wing Oriol Ripol crossed the line to ensure Biggs' late second meant little.

Defeats leaves Leeds precariously placed at the foot of the Premiership and seemingly in a straight fight with Worcester to avoid the drop.

Despite their desperate struggles in the first half of the season, Leeds' spirit has remained firmly intact.

Their dominance in the opening quarter was proof enough, with Leeds' forwards more than willing to mix it with the likes of France No 8 Sebastien Chabal and skipper Jason White.

Hinton missed an early penalty but in the seventh minute Leeds fashioned a try for McGee when influential fly-half James Brooks chipped a delightful grubber kick behind Sale's defence. McGee collected possession and sauntered over the line for his his first try in Leeds colours.

Hinton added the extras and Leeds' determination was epitomised in the 10th minute when Brooks sprinted 20 metres to halt Sale full-back Julien Laharrague as he threatened to break clear down the right flank.

Two minutes later another Hinton penalty increased Leeds' lead but the hosts were dealt a blow in the 15th minute when flanker Rhys Oakley was forced off through injury.

Sale gradually began to find their touch and Hodgson's penalty got them off the mark in the 26th minute.

He added another 10 minutes later and then orchestrated a bewildering move which stretched Leeds out wide on the left and culminated in Thomas grounding in the corner.

Hodgson converted to give Sale a 13-10 lead going to the break but faltered with a penalty 10 minutes after the restart.

Sale, who were missing talismanic Kiwi centre Luke McAlister through injury, introduced Andrew Sheridan and Sebastien Bruno in the 51st minute.

Their arrival gave the visitors added beef up front and, after Thomas missed a penalty from distance in the 59th minute, he atoned almost immediately by collecting Ripol's pass and scuttling over in the left corner to claim his second try which he also converted.

Five minutes later, Leeds had hope when wing Biggs scampered clear but it did not last long as Mayor soon claimed Sale's third try which Thomas converted.

There was still time for Ripol to burst through a gaping hole in Leeds' defence and claim a try which Laharrague converted.

That ensured Biggs' late second try, which Hinton failed to convert, was nothing more than consolation.
LINEUPS SCORING SUMMARY TIMELINE
Leeds CarnegieSale Sharks
SubsScoringNameNo.NameScoringSubs

1C 1P
Leigh Hinton 15 Julien Laharrague 1C



Apolosi Satala 14 Mark Cueto



Rob Vickerman 13 Chris Mayor 1T

Replacement off

Lee Blackett 12 Lee Thomas 2T 2C


2T
Tom Biggs 11 Oriol Ripol Fortuny 1T

Replacement off

James Brooks 10 Charlie Hodgson 1C 2P
Replacement off
Replacement off

Joe Bedford 9 Richard Wigglesworth
Replacement off
Replacement off

Mike MacDonald 1 Lionel Faure
Replacement off
Replacement off

Viliami Ma'asi 2 Scott Lawson
Replacement off
Replacement off
1T
Tom McGee 3 Stuart Turner
Replacement off


Stuart Hooper 4 Chris Jones



Erik Lund 5 Brent Cockbain
Replacement off


Jon Dunbar 6 Jason White

Replacement off

Rhys Oakley 7 Magnus Lund



Adam Balding 8 Sebastien Chabal
Replacement off
Replacements
Replacements
Replacement on

Michael Cusack 16 Sebastien Bruno
Replacement on
Replacement on

James Parkes 17 Andrew Sheridan
Replacement on
Replacement on

Adam Hopcroft 18 Eifion Roberts
Replacement on
Replacement on

Calum Clark 19 Sean Cox
Replacement on
Replacement on

Darren Edwards 20 Sililo Martens
Replacement on
Replacement on

Andy Tuilagi 21 Rudi Keil
Replacement on
Replacement on

Jonny Hepworth 22 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe
Replacement on
Penalty Tries
0
0
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Joe Maddock
Top Try Scorer
Season 2008 - 2009
4 tries
Club:
Bath Rugby
Date of Birth:
20th December 1978