It was difficult to put a price on this victory for Newcastle. In an increasingly tight and congested relegation picture, Dean Richards’s men have little margin for error if they are to climb off the canvas in the coming weeks. This hard-earned success, chiselled on the kind of collective desire which 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, marked their third win in succession, suggesting they are finding their form when it matters most.
Toby Flood’s second-half try laid the platform for victory in a stormy encounter in which the Sale hooker Rob Webber made biting allegations midway through the first half in front of a crowd of 27,284 at St James’ Park.
Sir John Hall and Richards chewed the fat at pitchside before kick-off, perhaps reminiscing about the good old days and the importance of a match to Newcastle’s current desperate plight. Twenty-one years ago, the Falcons were in the process of revolutionising English rugby thanks to Hall’s chequebook as they became the first side to lift the domestic title within a year of being promoted. Newcastle have achieved nothing like it since, although their fourth-placed finish last term marked their best season since that famous 1997-98 championship-winning campaign.
The visitors, bidding to reach the play-off semi-finals for the first time since their title-winning season in 2005-06, named the twins Tom and Ben Curry in their back row. Tom Curry, facing off against his England teammate Mark Wilson, lined up at blindside flanker and he showed his class to help create the opening try for Denny Solomona.
It came in the sixth minute when Sale’s South African scrum-half Faf de Klerk, who beavered away frenziedly throughout, advanced into Newcastle’s 22-metre line. The Springbok then showed intelligence to find Tom Curry in support to his right and the England man kept the move flowing with a neat pass which sent Solomona scurrying over in the right corner.
A conversion and a penalty from de Klerk put Sale 10-0 ahead before a penalty from Sonatane Takulua got Newcastle off the mark before the Falcons prop Logovi’i Mulipola was sent to the sin-bin for a cynical tackle on De Klerk.
Midway through the opening period came huge controversy as the Falcons lock Andrew Davidson charged down a kick from De Klerk and touched down but, after lengthy deliberation, it was deemed offside. In the buildup to that incident, Webber alleged that he had been bitten on his right arm, although no Newcastle player was penalised. That sparked a furore between both sets of players and, while Newcastle lacked nothing in spirit, they struggled to penetrate a resolute Sale rearguard.
The hard-hitting winger Sinoti Sinoti offered their best hope with a couple of stirring runs and Sale had claims for a second try by Byron McGuigan dismissed on the stroke of half-time.
Nevertheless, Takulua’s second penalty meant Newcastle trailed by only four points at the interval.
Shortly after the restart, another fine break from Sinoti led to Ben Curry being shown yellow for a cynical infringement at the ruck and from the subsequent penalty Toby Flood darted over the line from close range. He could hardly conceal his delight as the hosts led for the first time.
Takulua added the conversion and two more penalties before McGuigan’s late try ensured a tense finale.