Aviva Premiership: Leicester snatch dramatic late victory over Sale
Last Updated: 27/12/14 6:07pm
Leicester snatched a stunning late 32-30 victory over Sale thanks to Julian Salvi's late converted try.
In an enthralling Aviva Premiership match, the flanker’s dramatic late score sealed a magnificent second half comeback from 30-15 down.
The first half was as good a 40 minutes of rugby union as has been seen this season – end-to-end stuff at the AJ Bell Stadium.
Richard Cockerill's men looked to move the ball wide early on but a needless mistake allowed the Sharks to build their first attack.
Mike Haley and Sam Tuitupou both made the initial inroads before the ball was shifted wide and Chris Cusiter found enough space to touch down.
But Leicester hit back with a superb team effort. Sale were caught short of numbers on the openside which meant Vereniki Goneva could slip through a gap and pass to Miles Benjamin.
The wing bulldozed his way into the opposition 22 and further pressure on the hosts' rearguard eventually gave Leicester Seremaia Bai a clear run to the line.
Sale rallied, Danny Cipriani adding a penalty but the Tigers took the lead when scrum-half Ben Youngs spotted space on the blindside and Mat Tait finished well in the corner.
Freddie Burns kicked the extras to take them 12-8 ahead, but Sale’s powerhouse Johnny Leota showed his strength and skill to provide Will Addison a clear run to the line.
Cipriani converted before the respective stand-offs traded three-pointers as Sale went into the latter stages of the half 18-15 in front.
In an enthralling opening period there was more action to come when another Addison foray almost saw Eifion Lewis-Roberts touch down.
The hulking prop was stopped short but, under pressure, the Tigers infringed and Jamie Gibson was sent to the sin-bin for a cynical infringement at the contact area.
Down to 14 men, the Tigers succumbed as Nathan Hines powered over from close range and Cipriani booted the extras to make it 25-15 at the turn.
And the hosts extended their lead, and earned a four-try bonus point, when Sam Tuitupou touched down unopposed.
But the Tigers clawed their way back into the match in stirring style, firstly through Benjamin's well-taken try.
Owen Williams then scored a penalty as the visitors began to mount the pressure on the home side.
And following Addison's yellow card, openside Salvi crossed the whitewash and Williams' conversion securing a crucial win for Leicester.
