Sale Sharks delivered a stunning second-half performance to secure a crucial 43-17 bonus-point victory over Harlequins at the Salford Community Stadium, reigniting their Gallagher Premiership play-off ambitions.
Second-Half Surge Seals Dramatic Turnaround
The match turned on its head after the interval. Harlequins had held a narrow 17-12 lead at half-time, but what followed was a shocking capitulation from the visitors. Sale, inspired and relentless, ran in five unanswered tries to secure a comprehensive win that harvested a vital maximum five league points.
This result was a massive relief for Sale's director of rugby, Alex Sanderson, whose side had lost their previous four matches. The victory came after a pivotal meeting with the club's owners, Simon and Michelle Orange, earlier in the week, where the squad were challenged to raise their game—a message they emphatically heeded on a bitterly cold night in Salford.
Vermeulen Leads the Charge with Brace
The catalyst for Sale's dominance was flanker Jacques Vermeulen, who powered over for two smartly taken tries. His second score secured the all-important bonus point, unleashing a wave of confidence through the home side. From that moment, Sale moved through the gears with devastating effect.
The scoring opened early, but not as Sale would have hoped. Marcus Smith crossed for Harlequins inside three minutes, converting his own try. Sale responded through winger Alex Wills and a close-range effort from hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, with George Ford adding a conversion for a 12-10 lead. However, a try from Harlequins' Jack Walker, again converted by Smith, gave the Londoners a 17-12 advantage at the break.
Quins' Play-Off Hopes Suffer Major Blow
The second half was a one-sided affair that will cause deep concern for Harlequins' senior coach, Jason Gilmore. After Vermeulen's double, the floodgates opened. Centre Rekeiti Ma'asi-White finished a slick handling move, scrum-half Raffi Quirke pounced on a costly error from Smith, and replacement hooker Nathan Jibulu crashed over late to complete the rout.
For Harlequins, the manner of the collapse was as worrying as the result. Shipping 31 unanswered points in one half severely damages their play-off credentials, with their season threatening to unravel before the halfway mark. For Sale and Sanderson, this was a powerful statement of intent, proving they can indeed climb the Premiership table after a difficult period.
