Sale Sharks open their account in Premiership Rugby Cup after 15-15 draw against Saracens

Sale Sharks 15 - 15 Saracens, AJ Bell Stadium

Sale Sharks managed to open their account in the ongoing Premiership Rugby Cup as they managed a 15-15 draw against Saracens at AJ Bell Stadium in the second round.

The result means Saracens are positioned second in Pool 2 with six points while Sale Sharks with two points are at third place.

Will Cliff kicked a fifth minute penalty goal to begin the proceedings for the host but the visitors bounced back with back to back tries from Joel Kpoku and Matt Gallagher in the 17th and 24th minutes. Max Malins slotted the conversion on the first occasion as Saracens claimed a 3-12 lead.

However, the deficit came down to just two points before the break with winger Paolo Odogwu touching down in the 37th minute followed by a Cliff conversion.

As both the teams struggled to score a point in the first 17 minutes after the break, Cliff once again provided the breakthrough for Sale Sharks when he strolled over the line in the 58th minute to make it 15-12 before Malins with his first penalty kick in the 68th minute sealed a 15-15 draw.

“Frustrating would be the best word to describe it. We felt we controlled large parts of the first half, probably about converting that into points simply by not being patient on the ball," Saracens Academy Coach Adam Powell.

“Conceding the try on half time gave them a good boost and then second half we let them get back into the game. It’s a big learning curve.

“The boys are gutted. They know that they didn’t quite execute the way they wanted to. The effort was there, we just didn’t execute the big moments. We were in a position of winning the game, and then we didn’t.”