Sale Sharks 18 Chiefs 11

Sale Sharks 18

Exeter Chiefs 11

Mark Stevens at the AJ Bell Stadium

Exeter Chiefs saw their eight-game winning streak brought to an abrupt halt as Sale Sharks gave themselves and their fans an early Christmas present with this hard fought victory.

Steve Diamond’s followed up their April hammering of the Chiefs by again knocking the stuffing out of Rob Baxter’s in-form side at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Second half tries from Mark Cueto and Danny Cipriani - who also added two penalties and a conversion - were enough to sink their Devon rivals on a wet and wild night in the North West.

The Chiefs countered with a try from the free-scoring Thomas Waldrom and two penalties Gareth Steenson to ensure at least a losing bonus point, but that was all they could really rejoice about on a dismal night.

Back in top flight action following a two-week intervention for European Challenge Cup duties, the Chiefs arrived in Manchester looking to maintain their winning sequence which stretched to some eight games.

With Baxter claiming pre-game that the fixture heralded the start of a ‘season-defining’ block for his team, it was little surprise that he paraded a powerful line-up that included the division’s top try-scorer (Waldrom) and top points-scorer (Steenson) respectively.

Sale, meanwhile, were also at full-strength after their bruising back-to-back Champions Cup encounters with Saracens. They were led by destructive flanker Dan Braid up front, whilst Cipriani masterfully orchestrated things behind in his playmaking role at No.10.

Early doors, though, it was the Sharks - with the wind at their backs - who set the early tone. Looking to use their pack to position themselves deep into the Chiefs half, they pressed hard in attack, winning themselves a flurry of early penalties that allowed them to gain vital territory.

However, instead of opting for the sticks with Cipriani, they instead back themselves for the kick to the corner. The move, though, backfired as Marc Jones’ line-out was gobbled up by the visitors who were able to clear their lines.

It proved a momentary let-off for Baxter’s side as yet another penalty - this time conceded by Damian Welch - saw the towering Exeter lock dispatched to the sidelines by referee Wayne Barnes.

Moments later and Welch was joined in the cooler by team-mate Ben White, who was adjudged to have committed a professional foul in front of his own posts. His indiscretion saw him banished for 10 minutes, while Cipriani landed the resultant penalty to break the deadlock.

Down to 13 men, it was hardly the start the Chiefs had envisaged but - with their first meaningful foray into the Sale 22 - they won themselves a penalty of their own at scrum time and up stepped the ever-reliable Steenson to restore parity on 21 minutes.

Both Welch and White returned to the fold, but still the Chiefs were falling foul of Barnes far too much for Baxter’s liking. A second Cipriani penalty restored their lead just past the half-hour mark, but the England international could not add a third kick with the final action of the half, drifting his latest effort wide of the left post.

HALF TIME SALE SHARKS 6 EXETER CHIEFS 3

No doubt warmed up by a half-time roasting from Baxter, the Chiefs re-emerged for the second period determined to stamp their authority on proceedings.

Unlike previous weeks where Devon’s finest had been able to showcase their attacking flair against La Rochelle back to back, they found breaking down the stubborn Sale defence a much tougher proposition.

Early efforts were certainly encouraging as Jack Nowell and Dave Ewers led the charge in front of the watching England head coach Stuart Lancaster. However, the Sharks were as miserly as Ebenezer Scrooge, producing a defensive display that offered little more than crumbs.

At the other end, the Northerners showed how it should be done, working a clever move off a driving maul to Cipriani who, with time and space to work in, created the opening for Cueto to cross in the corner for the converted score.

The Chiefs needed a response and it duly arrived moments later as a huge carry from Ewers created havoc in the home ranks, resulting eventually in a penalty that Steenson duly dispatched with aplomb.

But instead of building on the head of steam they had created, the Chiefs fell back into their shell and the Sharks bit them for a second time as a slick handling move allowed Will Addison to collect on the charge before feeding Cipriani who did the rest with an easy finish in the left-hand corner.

The England international injured himself in the process of scoring and departed stage left before he could even attempt to convert his own score. Into his place came Joe Ford, but the young back was unable to add the extras, striking his testing touchline attempt against the near post.

Twelve points adrift entering into the final quarter, the visitors looked to find a way back into the contest with a couple of close range line-out drives. On both occasions, though, the Sharks manfully dealt with the threat and the Chiefs were left counting the cost.

Baxter turned to his bench for answers in the closing stages, but not even the fresh impetus could lighten up Exeter’s night. That was until eight minutes from time when they were given a glimmer of hope with the yellow carding of home lock Andrei Ostrikov for cynically pulling down a maul.

With the man advantage, the Chiefs made their hosts pay immediately as they rumbled another driving maul forward and there was Waldrom to collect his eighth Premiership try of the season. Sadly, Steenson's conversion attempt caught on the howling wind and dropped short of the home crossbar.

Now within a converted score of the Sharks, the Chiefs look to grab more reward in the dying embers of the game. Sale, though, were having none of it and came within a whisker of adding to their own tally when Ford saw a long-range drop-goal chance sail just wide of the mark.

Sale, it has to be said, were good value for their victory, but for the Chiefs they must quickly regroup as high-flying Bath are next on the agenda in what should be a Christmas cracker at The Rec.

Sale Sharks: M Haley; W Addison, J Leota, S Tuitupou, M Cueto; D Cipriani (J Ford 60), C Cusiter (W Cliff 60); E Lewis Roberts (R Harrison 60), M Jones (S Mamukashvili 68), V Cobilas; J Mills (A Ostrikov 60), N Hines; D Braid (capt), M Lund (D Seymour 68), J Beaumont. Replacements (not used): J Flynn, M Jennings

Tries - Cueto, Cipriani; Conversion - Cipriani; Penalties - Cipriani (2)

Yellow Card: Ostrikov

Exeter Chiefs: P Dollman; J Nowell, H Slade, I Whitten (S Hill 60), M Jess; G Steenson, W Chudley (H Thomas 68); B Moon (C Rimmer 60), L Cowan-Dickie (J Yeandle 50), M Low (A Brown 60); D Mumm (capt), D Welch; D Ewers, B White (M Lees 48), T Waldrom. Replacements (not used): K Horstmann, A Hughes.

Try - Waldrom Penalties - Steenson (2)

Yellow Cards - Welch, White

Referee: W Barnes

Attendance: 5,266

UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Bath (A), Aviva Premiership, Saturday, December 27 (2pm)