Sale Sharks 40 – 7 Caldy: Trialist Obi Ene hits Caldy for four in Prem Cup to boost contract hopes

11/09/2024 09:03 AM

By Charlie Elliott

Sale Sharks sauntered to a dominant win against bottom of the Championship Caldy in the Premiership Rugby Cup as their second-string side had barely a glove laid on them, with on-trial Obi Ene getting himself four tries to majorly boost his hopes of a full-time contract.

Sale started the game with intent, taking only five minutes before opening the scoring. A Caldy defender spilled the ball in contact following a cross field kick, with the ball eventually being offloaded to Obi Ene who made no mistake and skipped past a defender before getting his first try of the night. 

It would only take the Sharks and Ene just over five minutes to double their lead, with a maul on the right side leading to play ending up on Obi's wing, and he could not miss and duely capitalised on the space afforded to get some more points on the board for his team. 

Some scrappy play would underpin the next phase of the game, with both teams kicking back and forth to each other to attempt to gain territory, with neither side letting up. Caldy conceded too many penalties during this period, killing any chance of getting forward. 

Ene went on to complete his hat trick after 21 minutes, with Tom Curtis showing some lovely hands to latch onto a slightly loose pass, before play got recycled and the ball yet again fell to Obi on the right wing, who again could not miss. 

Drama would follow on the same side with most of the night's action, with the Caldy fans being incensed after a Sam Bedlow tackle, and some pushing and shoving followed. Caldy fans chanted 'off,off,off' but referee Hamish Grant would brandish Sam with a yellow card, as well as sending Dan Rabbette from Caldy to the sin bin for his part in the unsavoury scenes after. 

The 14 v 14 contest would open things up for Caldy, who all night have struggled to get into the home side's half, and they would very nearly latch onto a loose pass from Sale in their own half, the Sharks would burst through, with Tom Burrow looking destined for a try, but Michael Cartmill producing a last ditch tap tackle to stop him.  

All the hard Caldy defending would amount to little, Obi Ene adding to his tally with a fourth, following another quick passing move from Sale that again ended up on his wing, Tom Curtis would also convert for his fourth of the night, a 100% record in the first half. 

Half time: Sale Sharks 28-0 Caldy

Caldy would be the ones who started the second half as the better side, eventually breaking their deadlock following some good possession in their opponent’s half. It would come through a penalty try, awarded following a maul with Sale's Tom Burrow getting a yellow card for his troubles. 

The man disadvantage would not affect Sale, and they regained control of the game, a lovely miss-pass from Tom Curtis sent winger Alex Wills in and he skipped past the last defender and touched home to give Sale their healthy lead back, Tom Curtis would fail to convert his first of the night. 

Sharks would reach the 40-point mark as Rouban Birch skipped around a few defenders only to be stopped right on the line by even more last ditch Caldy defending, Tadgh McElroy continued his prolific Prem Rugby Cup scoring form, with his third try in two games, powering through bodies to give Sale a much healthier lead. 

The away side kept fighting till the end, but their travelling fans weren't left with reason for a celebration to take home with them, and despite getting close right at the death, they would have to make do with just the penalty try for the night. 

Full Time: Sale Sharks 40-7 Caldy

This result puts Sale top of their group after two games, getting maximum points, although Newcastle Falcons could equal them with a maximum point haul in their home game against Doncaster Knights. 

Sale Sharks: 40

TRIES:6- Obi Ene 5' 11' 21' 40' Alex Wills 57' Tadgh McElroy 67' 

CONVERSIONS:5- Tom Curtis 6' 12' 22' 40' 67' 

PENALTIES:0 

DROP GOALS:0 

YELLOW CARDS: 2- Sam Bedlow 31' Tom Burrow 50' 

RED CARDS:0 

15. Luke James 14. Obi Ene 13. Joe Bedlow 12. Sam Bedlow 11. Alex Wills 10. Tom Curtis (captain) 9. Gus Warr 1. Tumy Onasanya 2. Tadgh McElroy 3. James Harper 4. Le Roux Roets 5. Tom Burrow 6. Jos Gilmore 7. Tristan Woodman 8. Rouban Birch 

Replacements: 

16. Harry Thompson 17. Ralph McEachran 18. Tye Raymont 19. Ben Bamber 20. Will Riley 21. Yande Nkonge 22. Will Wooton 23. Charlie Wardle 

Caldy: 7

TRIES: 1- Penalty try 50' 

CONVERSIONS:0 

PENALTIES:0 

DROP GOALS: 0 

YELLOW CARDS:1- Dan Rabbette 31'  

RED CARDS:0 

15. Matt Kilcourse 14. Nick Royle 13. Connor Wilkinson 12. Michael Barlow 11. Michael Cartmill 10. Dan Rabbette 9. Joe Murray 1. Adam Aigbokhae 2. Ollie Hearn 3. Nathan Rushton 4. Sam Dickinson 5. Martin Gerrard 6. Sam Olyott 7. Callum Ridgeway 8. JJ Dickinson (captain) 

Replacements: 

16. Matt Gallagher 17. Monty Weatherby 18. Ryan Higginson 19. Joe Sproston 20. Tom Parry 21. Ollie Wynn 22. Ben Jones 23. Jacob Mitchell 

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