Sale Sharks 7-45 Glasgow Warriors
Glasgow Warriors kept their Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final hopes alive in style this evening, running in six of the best in a 45-7 victory over Sale Sharks at the AJ Bell.
Dave Rennie’s side were clinical from start to finish to record a vital bonus-point victory over their hosts, in a result roared to the rafters by the travelling Warrior Nation.
From the opening whistle, it was clear that the Warriors had one clear goal in their mind. It took two minutes for Rennie’s men to make their mark on proceedings; a burst down the wing from van der Merwe took the Warriors to within striking distance, before the returning Nakarawa crashed over from short range to send the Warrior Nation into delirium. It was an opening that could barely have been better scripted by Hollywood, Adam Hastings converting for a 7-0 lead.
The visitors had hit their straps early, and showed no signs of letting up in their pursuit of a crucial victory. Ali Price’s speed and intelligence around the breakdown was keeping the Sharks defence on their toes, whilst Jonny Gray was following the lead of Nakarawa in keeping the ball alive at every opportunity.
With the attacking intent all coming from the Warriors, the second try arrived on 12 minutes. After Jono Ross was sent to the sin-bin for a dangerous hit on Scott Cummings, the Glasgow pack went to work. A rolling maul close to the Sale try-line was halted illegally, but there was to be no halting Fraser Brown as he powered through an attempted tackle to touch down. Hastings added the extra two points, and the Warriors led 14-0.
The hosts began to gain a foothold in the match, as only a superb last-ditch defensive effort from Kyle Steyn and Huw Jones denied Marland Yarde. Yet the Warriors were in no mood to be denied under the floodlights, crossing for their third score on the half-hour mark. With the forwards piling on the pressure, van der Merwe burst through a gap that only he could see, Hastings converting the Canadian’s try for a 21-0 lead.
Whilst the hosts finished the half the stronger, there was to be no quarter given by the Warriors. Despite a yellow card for Nakarawa, the Glasgow defence held firm to keep the hosts scoreless at the interval.

With a commanding lead at the break, the next task for Rennie’s side was to secure the potentially crucial bonus-point. On 47 minutes, the all-important fourth try duly arrived. After an overthrown lineout from the Sharks had forced the hosts to concede a penalty, a quick tap from Price allowed Sam Johnson to glide over on an outside arc to delight the travelling Glasgow supporters. Hastings added the extras for good measure, and the Warriors had a 28-0 lead as Nakarawa returned to the field.
Even with the bonus-point secured, Glasgow continued to attack with aplomb. Glenn Bryce and van der Merwe each were prominent in the wide channels, whilst Hastings was causing havoc with ball in hand.
The home side eventually got on the board on 56 minutes, with a score sparked by an electrifying break from Denny Solomona. The former rugby league man regathered his own chip ahead only to lose his footing inside the Glasgow 22, but Jake Cooper-Woolley made sure that the field position would on this occasion yield a score for the men in white. Tom Curtis converted, giving the home fans something to cheer on a brisk January evening.
Undeterred, the Glasgow fans were soon in full voice once more. Having extended their lead with a well-struck Hastings penalty from 45 metres, try number five swiftly followed. Jones and Bryce’s identification of an overlap in Sale territory saw Matawalu charge for the line, only to be felled just a couple of metres short. Instead, it was Jonny Gray who was on hand to finish the job, Hastings converting for a 38-7 lead with 15 minutes to play.
The Warrior Nation were in dreamland, and it could have been even better were it not for the intervention of the TMO. A Gray break on halfway and some excellent supporting work from Georges Horne and Turner took the Warriors into the Sale 22, before Jones applied the finishing touch under the uprights. A closer look revealed that Gray had picked up the ball from an offside position however, and the score was quickly chalked off.
Just moments later, it was Matawalu’s turn to be denied. Hastings picked off a Sale pass in midfield and set off in search of the try-line, before prodding a grubber kick ahead. The Fijian was a fingertip away from touching down, the ball agonisingly rolling just behind his reach in the in-goal area.
There was to be a final flourish, though, and what a flourish it was. Taking a short ball from Hastings, Turner switched on the afterburners from 35 metres before rounding the full-back for a score to savour. The conversion made it 45-7, and the bonus-point victory was complete.
Whilst progression may be dependent on results to come, one thing is for certain – having made themselves seen and heard in numbers, the Warrior Nation will be singing all the way home on another famous European night for the Warriors.
live commentary 5:30 PM Saturday 18 Jan 2020
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Sale
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Tom Roebuck
23. Replacement0metres made
21MINUTES PLAYED
1TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Cameron Redpath
22. Replacement9metres made
32MINUTES PLAYED
2TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Gus Warr
21. Replacement5metres made
21MINUTES PLAYED
0TACKLES MADE
17COMPLETE PASSES
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Cameron Neild
20. Replacement3metres made
30MINUTES PLAYED
9TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Sam Dugdale
19. Replacement1metres made
21MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Jake Cooper-Woolley
18. Replacement6metres made
32MINUTES PLAYED
5TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Ben Carlile
17. Replacement0metres made
7MINUTES PLAYED
0TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Rob Webber
16. Replacement8metres made
32MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Jono Ross
8. Number 825metres made
49MINUTES PLAYED
14TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Ben Curry
7. Back-row10metres made
50MINUTES PLAYED
8TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Tom Curry
6. Back-row8metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
15TACKLES MADE
8COMPLETE PASSES
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James Phillips
5. Second-row8metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
20TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Matt Postlethwaite
4. Second-row10metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
9TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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WillGriff John
3. Tighthead prop4metres made
48MINUTES PLAYED
10TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Curtis Langdon
2. Hooker2metres made
48MINUTES PLAYED
9TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Ross Harrison
1. Loosehead prop1metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
24TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Will Cliff
9. Scrum-half10metres made
59MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
49COMPLETE PASSES
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Tom Curtis
10. Stand-off3metres made
67MINUTES PLAYED
5TACKLES MADE
14COMPLETE PASSES
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Marland Yarde
11. Wing30metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
3TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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James Williams
12. Inside-centre27metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
11TACKLES MADE
14COMPLETE PASSES
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Luke James
13. Outside-centre27metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
4COMPLETE PASSES
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Denny Solomona
14. Wing32metres made
59MINUTES PLAYED
10TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Joe Carpenter
15. Full-back20metres made
54MINUTES PLAYED
5TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
Glasgow Warriors
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Glenn Bryce
15. Full-back53metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
1TACKLES MADE
7COMPLETE PASSES
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Kyle Steyn
14. Wing14metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Huw Jones
13. Outside-centre35metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
7TACKLES MADE
6COMPLETE PASSES
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Sam Johnson
12. Inside-centre21metres made
48MINUTES PLAYED
7TACKLES MADE
8COMPLETE PASSES
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DTH Van Der Merwe
11. Wing71metres made
59MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Adam Hastings
10. Stand-off98metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
5TACKLES MADE
26COMPLETE PASSES
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Ali Price
9. Scrum-half19metres made
57MINUTES PLAYED
2TACKLES MADE
71COMPLETE PASSES
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Aki Seiuli
1. Loosehead prop10metres made
59MINUTES PLAYED
13TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Fraser Brown
2. Hooker14metres made
57MINUTES PLAYED
13TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Zander Fagerson
3. Tighthead prop1metres made
65MINUTES PLAYED
13TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Scott Cummings
4. Second-row6metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
15TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Jonny Gray
5. Second-row38metres made
80MINUTES PLAYED
22TACKLES MADE
9COMPLETE PASSES
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Leone Nakarawa
6. Back-row23metres made
70MINUTES PLAYED
9TACKLES MADE
9COMPLETE PASSES
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Thomas Gordon
7. Back-row9metres made
65MINUTES PLAYED
13TACKLES MADE
8COMPLETE PASSES
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Ryan Wilson
8. Number 86metres made
52MINUTES PLAYED
8TACKLES MADE
5COMPLETE PASSES
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George Turner
16. Replacement56metres made
23MINUTES PLAYED
7TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Oli Kebble
17. Replacement4metres made
21MINUTES PLAYED
4TACKLES MADE
0COMPLETE PASSES
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Adam Nicol
18. Replacement0metres made
15MINUTES PLAYED
0TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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Rob Harley
19. Replacement7metres made
28MINUTES PLAYED
5TACKLES MADE
1COMPLETE PASSES
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Chris Fusaro
20. Replacement0metres made
15MINUTES PLAYED
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George Horne
21. Replacement39metres made
23MINUTES PLAYED
3TACKLES MADE
26COMPLETE PASSES
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Pete Horne
22. Replacement0metres made
32MINUTES PLAYED
5TACKLES MADE
2COMPLETE PASSES
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Nikola Matawalu
23. Replacement20metres made
21MINUTES PLAYED
0TACKLES MADE
3COMPLETE PASSES
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