Harlequins 24-12 Sale: Eddie’s outcasts put Sharks to the sword

HARLEQUINS maintained their excellent recent form in yet another game when it proved far easier playing into a strong wind than against.

Victory moves Quins into third position and not for the first time you were left wondering why Alex Dombrandt, Marcus Smith and Will Evans don't seem to be on the England radar at present.

In a first half of two halves Sale, taking first use of the elements, dominated the opening 20 minutes only to be taken to the cleaners by a Quins side who suddenly switched from a kicking game to ball-in-hand approach. Three tries was their reward.

It was impressive flanker and jackal king Evans who finally got Quins revved up in the 25th minute with a brilliant turnover deep in his own half. The ball was shipped to Dombrandt who is so quick and fit these days that he did two defenders on an outside arc before effortlessly connecting with Mike Brown on the inside.

The former England full-back had clocked the young legs and gas of Joe Marchant on the outside and the rest was a formality. Smith converted brilliantly into the wind.

Evans was at it again two minutes later seizing onto the ball from a loose Sale lineout to set up another attack. Again it quickly went out wide to Marchant to log his second try of the game and 28th of his Premiership career.

Sale were not happy with Esterhuizen's long looping pass which was borderline but referee Tempest was having none of it. Good things often come in threes and it was Dombrandt who struck again before half-time when he was on hand to profit from a slashing Smith dummy and break.

Again Sale were left chuntering about a fairly dubious forward pass from Smith but again the TMO found in Quins favour.

Sale were not only in shock but cooking with indignation. Tempers were frayed and before half-time Jean-Luc Du Preez should have received a red card after lining up Dombrandt and making clear contact with the No.8's head with his elbow as he charged recklessly at a breakdown.

The South African couldn't get off quickly enough when Tempest brandished a yellow card and he will surely be cited. It was as clear-cut as any of the recent dismissals.

After the break, though, Sale were much improved and indeed dominated proceedings, spending long periods camped in the Quins half although Smith did take the opportunity of a rare Quins breakout to collect three points with a nicely struck mid-range penalty.

After that it was back to defensive duties as Sale really cranked it up with some route one rugby.

Replacement hooker Curtis Langdon went close before being held up, but Sale made no mistake from short range moments later.

Young replacement scrum-half Raffi Quirke raised the tempo further and definitely looks like one to watch. His lightning break was only halted when he was held up over the line but, from the scrum five, Rob du Preez blasted his way through Smith in a mismatch down the blindside.

Just briefly it seemed ‘game on' again but Quins roused themselves to finish down the other end and indeed thought they had scored a try bonus when flanker Archie White latched onto Dombrand's pass. This time the TMO and ref decided that was forward even though, if anything, it looked less contentious than the others. Such is life.

By BRENDAN GALLAGHER