Sale Sharks beat Exeter Chiefs 38-24 as Jibulu double keeps them top of Pool A

Sale Sharks beat Exeter Chiefs 38-24 at the CorpAcq Stadium on Friday night to stay top of Pool A in the PREM Rugby Cup. Sale scored five tries and were awarded a penalty try, with replacement hooker Nathan Jibulu crossing twice from driving mauls. Exeter left with a try-scoring bonus point, but it was another defeat in a hard season.

Sale, who have struggled in the league, have now built a strong position in the cup with another bonus-point win.

Sale Sharks start fast as Ma’asi-White marks 50th game

Exeter went ahead in the 11th minute when wing Charlie Poynton scored in the left corner. Sale replied within a minute. Ollie Davies put up a high ball, and Alex Wills climbed above the Chiefs defence to claim it and touch down. Davies converted.

On 15 minutes, Exeter wing Paul Brown-Bampoe was sin-binned for taking Wills out in the air. Sale used the extra man at once. From a lineout, the ball went right and centre Rekeiti Ma’asi-White powered over on his 50th appearance for the club. Davies added the extras for 14-5.

Ben Coen hit the post with a penalty from 40 metres. The Exeter fly-half made up for it on the last play of the half, stepping over from Zack Wimbush’s pass and converting his own try. Sale led 14-12 at the break.

Sale maul decides it after the break

Exeter had prop Ehren Painter back in the starting side after almost two years out with a knee injury, BBC Sport reports. But the Sale driving maul won the game.

Hooker Alfie Longstaff scored from one early in the second half to make it 19-12. Prop Archie McArthur then dummied his way over to bring Exeter back within two at 19-17.

Jibulu came off the bench and changed the night. He scored from a maul on 64 minutes, and Davies converted. Captain Sam Wolstenholme answered with a converted try to cut the gap to 26-24, but Jibulu struck again from another set-piece drive.

Near the end, Exeter illegally stopped one more maul close to their line. Referee Alex Thomas awarded a penalty try and sent replacement hooker Max Norey to the sin bin.

Jibulu is a player Exeter know well: Sale beat them to his signature when he left Harlequins.

Sale also handed a first win in a Sharks shirt to five debutants, according to the Sale Sharks match report. They were starters Austin Keogh and JJ Scheepers, plus replacements Will Bayston, David Opoku-Fordjour and Oli Spencer. A crowd of 4,795 watched on a cold night in Salford.

What it means for Exeter

The late tries from McArthur and Wolstenholme gave Exeter a try-scoring bonus point, but that is a small comfort. Exeter stayed in contention before Sale’s late maul scores settled it.

Baxter criticised Exeter’s discipline and decision-making afterwards. “I’m not going to let the lads just accept that tonight was OK,” he told BBC Radio Devon.

Coach James Wilson had already warned of tough conversations after the Bath defeat.

Sale Sharks vs Exeter Chiefs scorers

Sale: Tries: Wills, Ma’asi-White, Longstaff, Jibulu 2, penalty try. Cons: Davies 3.

Exeter: Tries: Poynton, Coen, McArthur, Wolstenholme. Cons: Coen 2.

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