Hodgson drop goal downs Wasps
Wasps 30 - Sale 33
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Your support makes all the difference.Two wins do not secure a championship and two defeats do not require bookings with the undertakers, but before Wasps line up to begin their defence of the European Cup in five weeks against Biarritz, they are once again faced with the problem of playing catch-up with stretched resources domestically.
Now they have the problem of Josh Lewsey being out for six weeks with a broken hand incurred on Saturday, and they are already missing the injured Craig Dowd, Simon Shaw and Stuart Abbott and the departed Paul Volley.
Sale, on the other hand, have created the best springboard they could have hoped for as they learn to live with the visionary approach being crafted by their new coach, Philippe Saint-André.
The multi-tasking which the former French captain demands was demonstrated in this narrow win over the last year's top dogs, the England full-back Jason Robinson opening the scoring with a drop goal and the winger Steve Hanley seizing on two breakaway opportunities for tries. As long as it works all will be sweetness and light, but the gnashing of Saint-André will outweigh the tears if it goes wrong.
Just as they felt they could have won their opening game against Saracens at Twickenham, so the post-match mood in the Wasps dressing room yesterday was as dark as the Sharks that had bitten another chunk out of their pride. The home side had enough possession and territory in the first half to sew the game up. Instead it was even at 20-20.
Sale, having made seven changes from the side which beat Leicester, rang some other unlikely switches, even moving their hooker, Andy Titterrell, to the flank as they settled into defending the assault which Wasps mounted for the final 10 minutes after Charlie Hodgson's drop goal had given Sale the lead.
There were predictable mutterings from the Wasps coach Shaun Edwards about missed penalty offences during this crucial and torrid time, but he could not complain about the way Sale had snapped up their chances and then put in a display of tackling - they notched up 145 to Wasps' 64 - that could form the basis of any defensive coaching video.
Wasps: Tries Richards, Payne, Dawson; Conversions King 2, Van Gisbergen; Penalties King 2, Van Gisbergen. Sale: Tries Todd, Hanley 2; Conversions Hodgson 3; Penalties Hodgson 2; Drop Goals Robinson, Hodgson
Wasps: M van Gisbergen; J Lewsey, A Erinle, P Richards, T Voyce; A King (J Brooks 46), M Dawson; T Payne, B Gotting (P Greening 48), W Green (A McKenzie 77), G Skivington (J Hart 61), R Birkett, J Worsley, L Dallaglio (capt), J O'Connor.
Sale: J Robinson; M Cueto, J Baxendell, R Todd, S Hanley (M Hercus 48); C Hodgson, S Martens (B Redpath 48); A Sheridan, A Titterrell, S Turner (B Stewart 60), P Caillet (T Woodman 48), D Schofield (J White 54), C Jones, S Chabal (S Bruno 69), M Lund.
Referee: R Maybank (Kent)
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