Match Centre: Gallagher Premiership: Harlequins 36-3 Sale Sharks
Danny Care scored Harlequins' second try
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Harlequins 36-3 Sale Sharks, Twickenham Stoop
Will Joseph scored a double as Harlequins registered a convincing 36-3 victory in the eighth round of the Gallagher Premiership at Twickenham Stoop on Friday.
The result meant Harlequins now have secured their fifth win of the campaign as they move to the second place in the table while Sale Sharks despite the defeat continue to remain at top.
Harlequins made a brisk start to the encounter as Tyrone Green pounced on a Sale mistake to collect the loose ball to dive in the corner and Marcus Smith kicked a conversion and a penalty goal to take them to a 10-0 lead.
With England coach Steve Borthwick present in the stadium, George Ford missed a penalty chance in the 27th minute but made amends with another three-pointer at the stroke of half-time as the teams completed the opening half with a 10-3 scoreline.
Harlequins further extended their lead early in the second half as Smith breached the defence of Sale Sharks and sent a popping pass for Danny Care to touchdown and Smith improved making it 17-3.
The 48th minute saw wing Arron Reed sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on and with the numerical advantage on their side, Sam Riley dotted down at the back of a line out to make it 22-3.
The bonus point for the Quins came inside the third quarter as Cadan Murley offloaded for Will Joseph to score and the Harlequins centre completed his second of the game in the 72nd minute when he dived in the corner as the home side completed an impressive 36-3 victory.
Team line up:
Harlequins: Green; David, Joseph, Esterhuizen, Murley; Smith, Care; Marler, Riley, Lewis, Launchbury, Lamb, Cunningham-South, W Evans, Dombrandt (capt).
Reserves: Jibulu, Baxter, Chawatama, Herbst, Chisholm, Porter, J Evans, Beard.
Sale: Carpenter; Roebuck, R du Preez, Bedlow, Reed; Ford, Warr; McIntyre, Cowan-Dickie, Schonert, Wiese, Hill, van Rhyn, B Curry (capt), D du Preez.??
Reserves: Creevy, Harrison, Opoku-Fordjour, Beaumont, Dugdale, Quirke, James, O'Flaherty.??
