Leicester Tigers have fallen to Sale Sharks, 31-15 at Salford Community Stadium in round 17 of the Gallagher Premiership.
A frustrating night for Tigers saw the home side control the game, Tigers now looking forward to their final game of the season, against Exeter at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.
Tigers shot out of the blocks, punching dents in Sale’s defence and it was Dan Cole who would get the try, just his 5th five-pointer for the club in his stories career.
Pollard couldn’t quite find the range with the conversion had an early advantage.
Sale responded and began to dictate terms. The home side would strike through Gus Warr, and Tigers lost Ollie Hassell-Collins to the sinbin.
Sharks would take the lead through Tommy Taylor and were firmly in the ascendency.
A loose Sale pass however found Matt Scott who ran the interception in for Tigers’ second try. Pollard added the extras to make it 14-12.
Despite the score, Sale were looking dangerous in attack and found their third score Sam James. Ford continued to impress with his kicking and pushed the home side’s lead to 21-12.
Tigers would add three points just before the half through Jamie Shillcock and it would stay 21-15 as the teams jogged to the changing rooms after an action-packed half in the heat.
Sale struck not long after play resumed, Tom O’Flaherty finishing off after a deft grubber kick in behind Tigers defence.
Ford converted and would add a penalty in the 57th minute to make it 31-15 with just over 20 to play.
George Martin grabbed a third Tigers try in the closing minutes, but it would be too late in the tie.
The final score, 31-22.
Commentary
DEFEAT AWAY IN SALE
Defeat, 31-22, to Sale Sharks in our final away game of the campaign.
CLARE'S SIN BIN OVER
Charlie Clare's sin bin expires, which sees Matt Scott return to the game and Nic Dolly remains at hooker.
CON | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Jamie Shillcock converts from out wide, making it a nine-point difference with four minutes left in Sale.
TRY | GEORGE MARTIN
George Martin smashes his way over from the base of the ruck to cut Sale's lead to 11 points with five minutes on the clock.
COACH CLEARS THE BENCH
Phil Cokanasiga is the final replacement made by Dan McKellar, with just nine minutes left, in place of Dan Kelly.
70
TEN ON THE CLOCK
Just 10 minutes left on the clock in Sale with 16 points still separating the sides.
WHITELEY AND DOLLY ON
Tom Whiteley replaces Jack van Poortvliet and Nic Dolly replaces Matt Scott, following the sin binning of Charlie Clare, by Dan McKellar.
YELLOW CARD | CHARLIE CLARE
Charlie Clare is shown a yellow card, in the 66th minute, which means we are down a man for the next 10 minutes.
YOUNGSTERS ADDED TO PACK
James Whitcombe and Finn Carnduff are brought on by Dan McKellar for the final 20 minutes.
PEN | SALE SHARKS
Sale's lead is now 16 points, approaching the hour mark, after a George Ford penalty goal.
CRACKNELL ON IN BACK ROW
Olly Cracknell is in the game in place of Tommy Reffell at openside flanker with 25 minutes remaining.
SECOND CHANGE FOR TIGERS
Solomone Kata is injected into the game in place of Handré Pollard, who comes from the field and has ice put on his leg by medical staff.
CHANGE UP FRONT
An early replacement in the second half from Dan McKellar with Joe Heyes brought into the game in place of Dan Cole at prop.
CON | SALE SHARKS
George Ford adds his fourth conversion for the night to make it a 13-point, 28-15 lead after 45 minutes.
TRY | SALE SHARKS
The Sharks have a fourth, through Tom O'Flaherty, after the Sale wing chases a grubber kick through, in behind the defensive line and regathers before diving over.
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY
We are back in action in Sale as Handré Pollard gets the second half underway!
SIX THE DIFFERENCE
Just six points separate the teams, 21-15, at the break in Sale after an entertaining first half.
PEN | JAMIE SHILLCOCK
Jamie Shillcock lands a long-range penalty goal to cut the deficit to six points, 21-15, in Sale.
CON | SALE SHARKS
George Ford converts his side's third to extend the Sale lead to nine points, 21-12, with five minutes remaining in the first half.
TRY | SALE SHARKS
Sale have their third, extending the lead to seven with a kick to come, and it's Sam James who scores it after some impressive attacking play, through multiple hands, from the Sharks.
29
HALF HOUR MARK
No change to the scoreboard since in 10 minutes with it still just a two-point game, 14-12, in Sale.
HASSELL-COLLINS RETURNS
Ollie Hassell-Collins returns to the field after serving his 10 minutes in the sin bin.
CON | HANDRÉ POLLARD
Handré Pollard converts, making it a two-point game (14-12) after 18 minutes.
TRY | MATT SCOTT
It's two tries each in Sale after Matt Scott intercepts a Sale pass near halfway and runs it in to cut the Sharks lead to four points with a conversion to come.
CON | SALE SHARKS
George Ford is on target from out wide with his second attempt from the tee, extending the lead to 14-5 after 15 minutes in Sale.
TRY | SALE SHARKS
Sale have their second, through Tommy Taylor, after a well-executed play off the back of a lineout deep inside our half.
YELLOW CARD | OLLIE HASSELL-COLLINS
Ollie Hassell-Collins is shown yellow, meaning we're down a man for the next 10 minutes, after a tackle in the build-up to Sale's try is deemed as head on head contact.
CON | SALE SHARKS
George Ford converts his side's try and takes Sale into the lead, by two, after 10 minutes.
TRY | SALE SHARKS
The home side hit back, approaching 10 minutes, through Gus Warr after the scrum-half breaks away from the back of a ruck to reach out and score.
5
CONVERSION MISSED
Handré Pollard's conversion hits the uprights, meaning the lead remains just five points after Dan Cole's try.
The score was the first in almost 60 appearances for the man up front.
TRY | DAN COLE
A chip and chase from Handré Pollard is backed up with by positive, effective attacking phases from his fellow Tigers and it's Dan Cole, from close range, who barges over to score the first try of the night.
4
AERIAL BATTLE
It's a battle of the boot early on here in Sale, with both sides searching for a territorial advantage in the opening minutes.
1
1
The kick-off doesn't travel the required 10m from George Ford, which means we will feed a scrum on the halfway line after just 40 seconds.
HERE WE GO!
We are underway against Sale Sharks in the penultimate round of the 23/24 campaign as former Tiger George Ford kick's off for the home team.