Ulster didn’t go into this game the way they would like, with travel disruption affecting their preparations. The first ten minutes didn’t yield much of a scoring opportunity for either team, both sizing each other out physically. Sale introducing their hard press defence, something that would become the stuff of nightmares for the Ulster men.
It took 15 minutes for the Premiership side to first make an impact on the scoreboard. Tom Curry the beneficiary in the end crossing for the opening try. This was despite the best efforts of Nick Timoney to prevent a grounding. Rob du Preez conversion attempt went wayward.
Ulster’s ill-discipline at this point allowed Sale to regain territorial advantage. Within four minutes they had crossed the whitewash again, this time via Hooker Akker van der Merwe, but on this occasion it was in vain. Rob Herring doing a good job to hold him up over the line. The TMO had to be consulted to confirm this as van der Merwe looked to have potentially got in after a second movement.
But the hard work was immediately undone. Sale took only two minutes to win back another penalty. Scrum half Gus Warr taking a quick tap bringing play back to the line. After a phase, Daniel du Preez, with the help of some of his teammates, drove his way over for the second try. Rob du Preez converted this time, before adding a straightforward penalty to bring the score to 15-0. The penalty count worryingly starting to build against the Ulster men.
Frustratingly, after a good carry by Hume, taking a tip on from McCloskey off the Ulster line out, Ulster found themselves on the turn once again. On the next phase, Nathan Doak’s pass went to deck and was hacked through by the Sale defence, bouncing out for a fortuitous 50-22. The Manchester side turned the screw and Duane Vermeulen was sent to the bin for bringing down the maul. Thankfully Doak and Matty Rea combined to get under the ball and hold up another potential try.
England centre Manu Tuilagi found a bit of space to build up a charge, frightening for Ulster fans, but Andy Warwick put in a big hit to stop him in his tracks. A head injury to Tuilagi in the contact meant the TMO was required for consultation. Referee Mathieu Raynal confirmed that Warwick was free to continue as the contact was accidental.
With under ten minutes left in the half, and a player down, Ulster needed their fortunes to change. Two penalties in a row allowed Ulster and Billy Burns to kick Ulster into a more dangerous position, but twice the Sale pack dealt expertly with the Ulster maul, holding the drive up on the second occasion and winning a turnover.
HALF TIME | Sale 15 - 0 Ulster
Even with Vermeulen’s reintroduction, the Sale pack turned up the pressure at scrum time, winning an early penalty against the head. Treadwell saved the woes on this occasion with a steal in the air at the line out. Sale countered off the exit and caught Burns in an offside position, opting again to put the ball into the corner. The Ulster pack stood strong, but after a few phases, and with a bit of fortune, Sale were in for try number three. Fly-half Rob du Preez was able retrieve his own pass, despite the efforts of Ethan McIlroy to intercept, to score. He was unable to convert taking the score to 20-0.
A full change to the front row couldn’t stop the power of the Sale front five, winning another penalty against the head, and once again allowing the home team to kick back into the Ulster 22. A much-needed penalty for Ulster stopped this opportunity and provided them with one of their own. But daylight robbery, as Sale pick-pocketed the Ulster pack as they attempted to peel off the maul, working their way wide and, once again, up field.
Ulster found themselves with twenty minutes left, twenty points behind, playing against an opposition with no intentions of stopping, and Ulster just could not get themselves on the right side of the law. Penalty after penalty providing Sale with further attacking opportunities. Off a scrum 10 metres from the line, du Preez played replacement Tom Curtis on a short pass allowing him to scathe through for the bonus point try. This one was converted, 27 points, unanswered.
Ten minutes left, another Sale try and another Ulster mistake. Lowry attempting to get Ulster going with a quick line out throw but not finding an Ulster target. Sale easily gathered the loose ball and Byron McGuigan was free to score their fifth try. Converted again by du Preez.
The end couldn’t come quick enough for Ulster as Sale shifted the ball wide in their own half allowing wing Aaron Reed to run free down the touchline for try number six.
Loosehead prop Bevan Rodd was named Player of the Match, showing were much of the initial damage was done. Dan McFarland and the squad will have a tough week ahead as they consider what went wrong today, ahead of the visit of the European Champions, La Rochelle, to Kingspan Stadium next weekend.
FULL TIME | Sale 39-0 Ulster
Scorers
Sale Sharks
Tries: T Curry, D du Preez, R du Preez, T Curtis, B McGuigan, A Reed
Conversions: R du Preez (3)
Penalties: R du Preez
Ulster
Yellow Cards: D Vermeulen
Line-Ups
Sale Sharks
(15-9): Joe Carpenter, Arron Reed, Sam James, Manu Tuilagi, Tom O’Flaherty, Rob Du Preez (Captain), Gus Warr;
(1-8): Bevan Rodd, Akker Van Der Merwe, Nick Schonert, Cobus Wiese, Jonny Hill, Jean-Luc Du Preez, Tom Curry, Daniel Du Preez.
Replacements: Tommy Taylor, Simon McIntyre, Joe Jones, Josh Beaumont, Jono Ross, Joe Simpson, Tom Curtis, Byron McGuigan
Ulster
(15-9): Mike Lowry, Ethan McIlroy, James Hume, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale, Billy Burns, Nathan Doak;
(1-8): Andy Warwick, Rob Herring, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor (Captain), Kieran Treadwell, Matty Rea, Nick Timoney, Duane Vermeulen.
Replacements: Tom Stewart, Eric O’Sullivan, Marty Moore, Sam Carter, Marcus Rea, Dave Shanahan, Stewart Moore, Ben Moxham.