Leicester Tigers Women's have fallen 36-21 to Sale Sharks in Allianz Women's Premiership Rugby at Mattioli Woods Welford Road. 

A determined Tigers performance saw the team unable to capitalise on opportunities which ultimately cost Leicester against what was a clinical Sale side. 

FIRST-HALF

Before the match got started, there’s a touching scene as retiring players Ofure Ugiagbe and Becky Noon are given a rousing round of applause from the fans as they lead out the team, Ugiagbe alongside daughter Adaze and Noon alongside cousins Mollie and Arthur.

Natasha Jones gets us underway in today’s match and it’s an encouraging start as the side win a scrum penalty in the first minute of the game and have an attacking lie out on the Sale 22.

However, a miscommunication at the line out sees the ball spill out and Sale use their physicality early, keeping the carries tight and testing the shoulders of Morgan Richardson, Amy Cokayne and Leah Bartlett. A high tackle is called after an initial six or seven carries and the visitors opt for the posts, their subsequent kick having the legs but not quite the accuracy as it sails wide.

Tigers look to attack swiftly but the ball is stripped away and again Sale come flooding up with hard carries and this time it pays off.

The offloads are in abundance as three successively see the ball into space and a two on one is executed to put centre Laura Perrin into space and able to dive over. 

Attack down the line, a slick move sees the ball fed to Amy Relf who then hits it back inside where Amy Cokayne and Tahlia Brody are lurking on the touchline; swift touches on allow Brody to break up to the five metre where they earn another penalty.

As is the Tigers way, the rolling maul begin to rumble, this time with prop Lisa Cockburn at the tail to dive over for her first try in Leicester colours.

Tess Feury nails the conversion and we have parity.

From here, Tigers dominate the following ten minutes, probing the Sale defence and putting tempting kicks in behind, the most exciting of which sees Francesca McGhie in space for the first time in the match.

The Scottish wing accelerates past her opposite number before poking the ball through and were it not for the ball just bouncing dead, McGhie would have touched down for her eighth try of the season.

In fact, Tigers dominate possession essentially until Sale retake the lead.

It’s a single mistake, a knock on from Feury on Tigers 22, but it allows Sale to build the phases and eventually go over in the corner after a slew of carries.

The Sharks turn the screw and get their third soon after, slick hands allowing Italian centre Beatrice Rigoni to touch down and increase the visitors lead.

Fly half Sarah Law has hit every kick thus far as the pressure increases on hosts Leicester. 

Hence why a huge cheer goes up from the crowd when McGhie catches the kick off on the run, winning possession back at a vital time as the clock ticks down.

That possession

Incredible turnover from Noon gets the side up field after losing possession.

Half time score: Leicester Tigers 14 – 21 Sale Sharks

A half time triple substitution brings on internationals Julia Omokhuale, Keia Mae Sagapolu Sanele and Claire Gallagher and the former pair make an instant impact with bruising carries.

After Feury makes an initial break up to halfway, Tigers keep it tight in the hands, breaks coming from Roisin McBrien and McGhie while the rest of the pack carry up incrementally to the Sale 22 before the side lose the ball right at the critical juncture.

Sale come firing back and now the visitors are up to halfway, whipping the ball wide and playing edge to edge rugby.

However, the canny Cokayne spots one offload too many and nips in to intercept the ball and win possession back and now it’s Leicester looking to play.

They’re stopped in their tracks; as they play the ball from scrum half, Sale fly half Sarah Law nips in from nowhere, intercepting the ball and breaking, allowing for a simple two on one that allows wing Holly Thorpe to dive over. 

Sarah Nicholas break followed by swift hands from Gallagher and Swartz to put McGhie into space and get back to the opposition 22.

A knock on means possession is lost but a massive push at the scrum sees Tigers win the ball against the head and, a couple of phases later, win a penalty.

From here, it’s a return to old faithful as the rolling maul rumbles over once again, Tigers finally capitalising on a host of second half chances to allow Cokayne to touch down for her second score of the game.

The momentum keeps rolling as Canadian international Julia Omokhuale catches at pace and smashes through three successive tackles to bulldoze up to halfway. Tigers look to play quickly but once again lose possession after just a couple of phases.

Sharks increase the pressure further after winning a penalty on the 22, Law once again making no mistake and slotting with aplomb to put her side 10 points ahead with just a handful of minutes remaining.

Knowing they need two scores to claim victory, Tigers throw the kitchen sink at the game and try to play their way out but they can’t just can’t quite get it rolling consistently and possession trades hands multiple times in the remaining moments.

Finally, Sale put it to bed. After a couple of penalties get the ball tight to the Tigers line, captain Lauren Delany puts a bow on the Sharks victory and touches down.

A tough afternoon at the office for Leicester Tigers, who scored three tries but could never find the consistency required to make the difference in the home finale.

Full time score: Leicester Tigers 14 – 36 Sale Sharks