• Newcastle 22-17 Sale
• Sharks’ hooker Rob Webber alleges he was bitten
It is difficult to put a price on this victory for Newcastle. In an increasingly congested relegation picture, Dean Richards’s men have little margin for error if they are to climb off the canvas in the coming weeks. But this hard-earned success, in front of a crowd of 27,284 at St James’ Park, chiselled out with the kind of collective desire that carried the Falcons to their best season in 20 years last term, encouraged hopes they can achieve their goal.
It leaves them three points behind Worcester with five matches remaining and, perhaps more important, was a third win in succession, suggesting they are finding their form when it matters most. Toby Flood’s second-half try laid the foundations for victory in a stormy encounter in which the Sale hooker Rob Webber made biting allegations midway through the first half.
Written by Ross Heppenstall at St James’ Park
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/23/newcastle-sale-premiership-match-report-rugby-union under the title “Toby Flood helps Newcastle to vital win but Sale make biting claim”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
