Sharks tamed by Exiles

Sale Sharks lost ground at the top of the Guinness Premiership table after a 20-12 defeat at London Irish on Sunday.

Without the services of Charlie Hodgson, Sale started with Luke McAlister at fly-half and the New Zealander kicked all of his side's points. But Sale were second-best for virtually the entire contest and the Exiles emerged worthy winners courtesy of three tries.

Sailosi Tagicakibau, Gonzalo Tiesi and Delon Armitage all crossed the whitewash for the hosts who ease further away from Leeds and Worcester at the bottom.

Irish flew out of the traps - a high-tempo they were to maintain throughout - and were ahead inside two minutes as powerful winger Tagicakibau touched down.

The score was a result of a strong break by opposite wing Topsy Ojo who skinned Oriol Ripol and almost sent in Tiesi. Sale recovered momentarily, but the ball was recycled and found its way into the hands of Shane Geraghty whose pinpoint long pass was finished off by Tagicakibau - Armitage added the extras.

The Irish full-back blotted his copybook shortly afterwards as he was sin-binned for a trip on Mark Cueto and McAlister then kicked the first of his four penalties moments later.

However, the Exiles deservedly ensured they headed into the break with a healthier lead as Tiesi claimed their second try seven minutes before half-time.

The Argentine centre capped another well-worked move as he popped up on the overlap to receive Tagicakibau's pass and power over in the corner. Armitage missed the tricky conversion to ensure Irish went in only 12-3 to the good, scarce reward for their superiority.

The hosts might have expected a chastened Sale to reappear after the break, fired up by a stern talking to after a listless first-half showing.

However, it was the Exiles who picked up where they had left off as they notched their third try just two minutes into the second period, Armitage breaking a weak tackle from Chris Mayor to scamper over unopposed after another fine pass from the outstanding Geraghty.

Armitage again missed the conversion to leave lead at 14 points, but while McAlister responded with his second penalty a couple of minutes later Sale carried little threat as an attacking force.

McAlister completed his hat-trick of kicks on 54 minutes as the Sharks enjoyed their best spell, but Irish always appeared well capable of keeping them at bay.

When they were found wanting, Sale contrived to shoot themselves in the foot with Magnus Lund wrecking what seemed a certain try with a forward pass to Cueto.

A fourth penalty from McAlister edged the visitors to within five points with a quarter of an hour remaining, but the hosts settled their nerves and the match when Eoghan Hickey kicked a penalty of his own nine minutes from time to round off the scoring.