Sale Sharks secured a bonus-point 27-10 victory over Gloucester Rugby at CorpAcq Stadium, as the 2025/26 Gallagher PREM season started with a cracker.
Tries from Tom Roebuck, Nathan Jibulu on debut, Joe Carpenter and Hyron Andrews secured all five points for the hosts.
Highlights: Ford stars as Sale beat Gloucester on opening night of new season
Video credit: TNT Sports
Sale took the lead after a tense opening 17 minutes, with Roebuck going over in the corner after the ball was knocked into his path.
It seemed on first appearance that Ben Curry had knocked the ball on and into the hands of Roebuck, but the replay showed that it was Gloucester’s Ollie Thorley who had dislodged the ball in the tackle.
The hosts thought they had a second after 32 minutes when Curry bundled over at the back of a maul, but the TMO decided that Jacques Vermeulen had moved past Curry who was carrying the ball and was therefore offside.
Gloucester fought back right at the end of the first half, with Jack Clement flying through to score after the clock had gone red.
After winning a penalty at the scrum, Ross Byrne kicked to the corner and Tomos Williams fed Clement, who could not be stopped.
'What a finish!' - Gloucester take lead with last play of first half
Video credit: TNT Sports
Sale dominated the majority of the second half and re-took the lead with just over 20 minutes to go through debutant Jibulu.
Gloucester had just been reduced to 14 men minutes earlier, with Clement shown a yellow card for bringing down a maul and Sale capitalised, with Jibulu bundling over at the back of a maul for his first Sale score.
George Ford produced some magic in the final 10 minutes to secure victory for Sale, picking out Carpenter with a fantastic bridge pass, to set up the full-back to score.
The hosts were able to secure the bonus-point going into the 80th minute, thanks to Andrews who scored in the corner after some brilliant handling by Carpenter and Tom O’Flaherty.
Ford produced yet another fantastic pass to get the move going and was awarded the player of the match award.
Jibulu powers over to score Sale's second try
Video credit: TNT Sports
22:04
22:04
GEORGE SKIVINGTON: A BIT OF A REALITY CHECK FOR US
George Skivington, speaking to TNT Sports, said: "I think we looked a bit clunky and our lack of entries into the 22' was frustrating and we struggled at set pieces, so there is a bit of work for us to do.
"The plan didn't differ to last time here, I thought the endeavour was good and with 10 minutes to play, it was a two-point game, but we had a really poor last 10 minutes.
"I think we pushed the envelope a bit much and Sale took advantage, winning lots of penalties. Maybe there is a bit of a reality check there for us tonight and we need to go back and lick our wounds.
"I doubt you will see another try like Sale's opener all season, that is all I will say on that."
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George Ford, speaking to TNT Sports, said: "The result is brilliant, but it was a game of two halves, and you could tell it was the first 40 minutes for a lot of lads out there.
"The key thing to take away from tonight is that we were able to identify what needed to improve at half-time and then go out and execute it. The boys up front were unbelievable at the scrum, line-out and maul, and they won us the game.
"The breakdown was not good enough and some of our decisions were poor in the first half. We needed to fix that and get our super strength in Tom Roebuck and O'Flaherty on the ball more."
Image credit: Getty Images
21:46
21:46
FULL TIME! SALE 27-10 GLOUCESTER
Sale secure a bonus-point victory on the opening day of the season.
21:46
21:46
80' SALE GET THE BONUS POINT! SALE 27-10 GLOUCESTER (ANDREWS)
Sale have their fourth try and the bonus point! What a try from Hyron Andrews.
Ford plays another brilliant bridge pass out to O'Flaherty, who plays the ball inside to Carpenter and the full-back offloads to Andrews who scores.
What a fantastic result for Sale.
21:43
21:43
77' SALE WANT BONUS POINT. SALE 22-10 GLOUCESTER
The hosts are going for a fourth try which will see them pick up a huge bonus point.
Ashton explains why Sale try stood despite apparent knock-on
Video credit: TNT Sports
21:38
21:38
72' SALE TRY! SALE 22-10 GLOUCESTER (CARPENTER)
What a try! Sale work the ball well in midfield after a maul and Ford throws a bridge pass over to Joe Carpenter, who charges over the line.
Ford adds the extra two points and that should be game over.
21:35
21:35
70' SALE PENALTY! SALE 15-10 GLOUCESTER
Sale are awarded a penalty at the breakdown and Ford slots the ball between the posts.
The hosts now have a five point lead.
21:34
21:34
JIBULU SCORES ON SALE DEBUT
Jibulu powers over to score Sale's second try
Video credit: TNT Sports
21:33
21:33
68' SALE CHANGE. SALE 12-10 GLOUCESTER
Vermeulen is replaced by Tristan Woodman, who makes his PREM debut.
It is a miracle Vermeulen played this long after it seemed that he pulled his hamstring in the opening minutes of the game.
21:32
21:32
66' GLOUCESTER CHANGE. SALE 12-10 GLOUCESTER
Gotovtsev is replaced by Fasogbon, who returns after being replaced at half-time.
21:28
21:28
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63' GLOUCESTER BACK TO FULL CAPACITY. SALE 12-10 GLOUCESTER
Clement returns from the sin-bin.
Lewis Ludlow has replaced Mati Alemanno and Williams has been replaced by Caolan Englefield for Gloucester.
Ma'asi White is replaced by Arron Reed for Sale.
21:22
21:22
60' SALE CHANGES! SALE 12-10 GLOUCESTER
Sale make a flurry of changes, with Ben Curry, Jibulu, Rodd and Asher Opoku-Fordjour replaced by Ethan Caine, Si Mcintyre, Willgriff John and Hyron Andrews.
21:18
21:18
57' SALE TRY! SALE 12-10 GLOUCESTER (JIBULU)
Nathan Jibulu scores on his Sale debut! The hosts apply the pressure from the line-out and Jibulu bundles over at the back of the maul.
Ford adds the extra two points to put Sale back in the lead.
21:17
21:17
56' GLOUCESTER CHANGES. SALE 5-10 GLOUCESTER
Ben Loader is replaced by Will Joseph, who makes his debut.
21:17
21:17
56' MORE SALE PRESSURE. SALE 5-10 GLOUCESTER
Sale win another penalty at the breakdown and Ford kicks into the corner.
They need a score here.
21:12
21:12
52' BALL HELD UP! SALE 5-10 GLOUCESTER
Sale look set to score, but Gloucester somehow manage to hold the ball up right in between their own posts.
How have Sale not scored?
21:11
21:11
51' GLOUCESTER YELLOW. SALE 5-10 GLOUCESTER (CLEMENT)
Clement is shown a yellow card for pulling the maul down, as Sale start to put more pressure on the Gloucester 22'.
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Highlights: Ford stars as Sale beat Gloucester on opening night of new season
Video credit: TNT Sports
'What a finish!' - Gloucester take lead with last play of first half
Video credit: TNT Sports
Jibulu powers over to score Sale's second try
Video credit: TNT Sports