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Trio staying put at Sale

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:55:52 -0000

Sale have secured their own Dragon’s den this week by agreeing new deals for Welsh trio Dwayne Peel, Nick Macleod and Marc Jones.

Wales and British Lions scrum-half Peel and former Welsh Under-21 fly-half Macleod have each signed new two-year contracts while ex-Wales Under-20 hooker Jones has penned a one-year extension.

February to decide Sharks’ Euro fate

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:55:36 -0000

Sale boss Steve Diamond believes the next 29 days will be pivotal in determining whether the Sharks achieve their goal of qualifying for next season’s Heineken Cup.

Following Saturday’s final LV Cup group game at home to Scarlets, Sale face three crucial Premiership games before the month is out with home games against struggling Worcester and Wasps being sandwiched by a trip to Northampton.

Heaton Moor 10 Didsbury Toc H 22

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:55:35 -0000

The game began well for Moor with several strong carries by the forwards pushing Didsbury onto the back foot but it only raised false hope in the hearts of the home supporters.

Ten minutes in the first score of the day came courtesy of a turnover deep in the Didsbury half with the visitors shifting the ball at pace that saw Didsbury fullback Sean Bishop going in at the right hand corner with the conversion missed.

Stockport RUFC 33 Westoe 22

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:55:34 -0000

Stockport completed the double over visitors Westoe, who were second in the National 2 North table before the game.

It was a much improved performance by Stockport with more positive running and great linking between forwards and backs and some stalwart defence.

Bromsgrove 23 Stockport RUFC 10

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:55:27 -0000

Stockport travelled to Bromsgrove and, having made a real effort in the first 40 minutes, they then surrendered the game to the home side over the second half and allowed them to overturn the 10-5 lead that Stockport had brought off the field at half time.

The earlier play went to Bromsgrove who prevented Stockport from hardly having a touch of the ball before scoring in the fourth minute from a catch and drive from a lineout. It was a very blustery day in the Midlands and the try was unconverted.

Sale Sharks primed for Brive encounter

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:55:50 -0000

Sale coach Tony Hanks has challenged the Sharks to book a passport to glory when the entertain French side Brive at Edgeley Park this Thursday in a crucial Amlin Cup decider (7.45pm).

The group finale will effectively be a winner-takes-all shoot-out with the sting in the tail that Sale have to beat their top 14 opponents by eight points or more to leapfrog Brive in the table and seal a place in the quarter-finals.

Stockport RUFC 27 Leicester Lions 18

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:55:45 -0000

Josh Longmore scored 17 points as Stockport overcame Leicester Lions in a tough National 2 North clash.

Having slotted over two conversions and two penalties, Longmore sealed the game with an opportunist try in the last 10 minutes.

De La Salle (Salford) 15 Heaton Moor 8

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:55:44 -0000

Matt Hodkinson scored a try in only his second senior game but it wasn’t enough to stop Heaton Moors slipping to a surprise defeat at De La Salle.

Having beaten the Salford-based side 73-10 in November, Moor were confident of completing the double over them in the North Lancashire and Cumbria Northern Division clash.

Sale told to ignore talk of play-off

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:55:27 -0000

Sale head coach Tony Hanks has warned the Sharks to ignore all talk of a potential Amlin Cup shoot-out with Brive and instead avoid slipping up on a Spanish banana skin away at La Vila this weekend.

After getting their European campaign off to the worst possible start by losing in Brive in early November, three successive bonus point wins have put the Sharks back in the driving seat in terms of topping their group and reaching the last eight.

Marple 19 Douglas 17

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:55:26 -0000

Marple went up a place in the South Lancashire and Cheshire 2 table after a close win over league leaders Douglas with the last kick of the game deciding the outcome.

The home side started well and scored first with winger Tom Salt finishing off in the corner after the ball was whipped out along the back line from a scrum catching Douglas off guard.

Heineken Cup aim for boss Diamond

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:56:02 -0000

Having ended the first half of a potentially momentous campaign having risen to the heady heights of third place, Sale boss Steve Diamond has challenged his players to kick on and achieve his goal of securing Heineken Cup rugby for next season.

Boxing Day’s 27-19 triumph at home to Newcastle helped fire the resurgent Sharks back into the top four of the Premiership in front of more than 9,000 fans – Sale’s biggest home attendance in two and half years.

Diamond wants to end year in style

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:56:01 -0000

Steve Diamond has challenged his resurgent Sale side to bring the curtain down on a tumultuous 2011 in style by carving up up Newcastle Falcons in Boxing Day's Edgeley Park showdown.

Last weekend's decisive 41-21 Amlin Cup demolition job on Agen made it three wins from three in December for the Sharks and another victory against the Falcons would not complete a perfect month but would also fire Sale back into the top four of the Premiership going into the New Year.

Stockport RUFC 18 Caldy 14

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 10:56:00 -0000

Stockport held on for victory over Caldy at Headlands Road in National 2 League North.

It was a game of two halves but first Stockport played probably the best half of rugby this season.

Shout to the top for Sale

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:55:43 -0000

Sale boss Steve Diamond has fired out a rallying call to the club’s supporters to help keep the Sharks’ winter revival firmly on track ahead of two key home games over the Christmas period.

First up this Sunday, the Sharks play host to French side Agen in their latest Amlin Cup group clash where another victory on the back of last week’s notable 29-14 triumph in France would further boost their hopes of reaching the quarter-finals.

Loughborough 36 Stockport RUFC 10

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:55:26 -0000

The current league season has turned the corner and Stockport’s first game on the home run meant a return on Saturday to the scene of one of their most notable victories of recent years.

In 2006, during their cup run that ended with a trip to Twickenham and the Intermediate Cup, they took on Loughborough Students and won.