Vermeulen sees red as Sale prevails over Saracens
MATCH REPORT: Sale Sharks survived Jacques Vermeulen’s red card to beat Saracens 21-17 on Sunday as Tom O’Flaherty inspired their first win in the Gallagher Prem this season.
*Also read: Bristol stun defending champs Saints as Rees-Zammit stars
Vermeulen was shown a 20-minute red for a dangerous tackle on Tomos Williams in the first half at the StoneX Stadium.
The dismissal came with Vermeulen’s teammate Alex Lozowski already in the sin bin because of the same offence.
But O’Flaherty produced the match’s pivotal moment in the 41st minute, racing over for an eye-catching try.
It was part of a dominant second half from Sale, who capitalised on Saracens’ lifeless performance to bounce back after losing to Bristol on the opening weekend.
Sale’s Nathan Jibulu scored an early converted try before Eroni Mawi’s reply for Saracens.
O’Flaherty’s solo strike was followed by Sione Va’Enuku’s try to give Saracens hope.
Ben Bamber touched down to stretch Sale’s lead to 11 points.
Charlie Bracken’s late score for Saracens set up a tense finale, but Sale defied their numerical disadvantage to seal the victory.
Scorers:
For Saracens:
Tries: Mawi, Va’enuku, Bracken
Con: Burke
For Sale Sharks:
Tries: Jibulu, O’Flaherty, Bamber
Cons: Ford 2, Lozowski
Yellow card: Alex Lozowski (Sale Sharks, 11′)
Twenty-minute red card: Jacques Vermeulen (Sale Sharks, 17′)
Teams:
Saracens: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Jack Bracken, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Sione Va’enuku, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Fergus Burke, 9 Tomos Williams, 8 Alfie Barbeary, 7 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 6 Nick Isiekwe, 5 Hugh Tizard, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Marcus Street, 2 Theo Dan, 1 Eroni Mawi
Replacements: 16 Eoghan Clarke, 17 Alex O’Driscoll, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 George Martin, 20 Nathan Michelow, 21 Ben Earl, 22 Charlie Bracken, 23 Max Malins
Sale Sharks: 15 Joe Carpenter, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Alex Lozowski, 11 Arron Reed, 10 George Ford, 9 Gus Warr, 8 Jacques Vermeulen, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Ben Bamber, 4 Ernst van Rhyn (captain), 3 Asher Opoku-Fordjour, 2 Nathan Jibulu, 1 Nicky Smith
Replacements: 16 Ethan Caine, 17 Si McIntyre, 18 Tomas Francis, 19 Christ Tshiunza, 20 Elia Canakaivata, 21 Dom Hanson, 22 Marius Louw, 23 Ponipate Loganimasi
Referee: Joe James
Assistant referees: Karl Dickson, Mike Woods
TMO: Hamish Smales
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