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It was hard to put a price on this win for Newcastle. In an increasingly tight and crowded relegation picture, Dean Richards' men have little room for error if they want to get out of the canvas in the coming weeks. This hard-won success, based on the kind of collective desire that led the Falcons to their best season in 20 years in the last term, encouraged hope that they could achieve their goal.
That leaves them three points behind Worcester with five games to play and, perhaps even more importantly, marks their third consecutive victory, suggesting that they regain their form when it matters most.
Toby Flood's try in the second half set the stage for victory in a thunderstorm match in which Sale's hooker Rob Webber made biting claims in the middle of the first half in front of a crowd of 27. 284 people at St James's Park.
Before the kickoff, Sir John Hall and Richards chewed the grease from the pitch, perhaps recalling the good old days and the importance of a match against the current desperate situation in Newcastle. Twenty-one years ago, the Falcons were revolutionizing English rugby through Hall's checkbook because they had become the first team to win the national title less than a year after being promoted. Newcastle has not seen anything like it since, although its fourth-place finish in the last quarter marked its best season since that famous campaign won in 1997-98.
The visitors, wishing to qualify for the playoff semifinals for the first time since their 2005-06 season, have named twins Tom and Ben Curry in the back row. Tom Curry, confronted with his teammate in England, Mark Wilson, sided with the flanker on the armored side and showed his clbad to help create Denny Solomona's first try.
He arrived in the sixth minute when South African scrumhalf Sale, Faf de Klerk, who jumped frantically, advanced on the 22-meter Newcastle line. The Springbok then showed his wits to find Tom Curry to support his right and the English man continued on his way through a neat pbad that sent Solomona rushing into the right corner.
A conversion and penalty from De Klerk gave Sale a 10-0 lead before a penalty from Sonatane Takulua shut Newcastle before the Falcons' post, Logovi'i Mulipola, was sent to the barracks for a cynical tackle against De Klerk.
In the middle of the opening period, a huge controversy took place while the Falcons lock was taken over by Andrew Davidson. A De Klerk free kick hit the ball, but after long deliberations, he was judged offside. In preparing for this incident, Webber claimed that he had been bitten on the right arm, although no Newcastle player was penalized. This caused an uproar between the two groups of players and, while Newcastle was lacking in wit, they struggled to penetrate a resolute rearguard Sale.
Striker Sinoti Sinoti offered his best hope with two good performances and Sale had called for a second try from Byron McGuigan, who had been dismissed at halftime.
Nevertheless, Takulua's second penalty left only four points in Newcastle.
Shortly after the restart, another break from Sinoti allowed Ben Curry to appear in yellow for a cynical baguette offense. Toby Flood then escaped the penalty that followed. He could hardly hide his delight when the hosts were leading for the first time.
Takulua added the conversion and two more penalties before McGuigan's delay guaranteed a tense final.
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