Gloucester v Sale: Five takeaways as ‘Wales brilliance’ fires five-try Cherry and Whites past ‘reeling’ Sharks

Gloucester scrum-half Tomos Williams scoring against Sale Sharks at Kingsholm.
Following a 36-20 victory for Gloucester against Sale Sharks in the Premiership on Saturday afternoon, here’s our five takeaways from a thrilling game at Kingsholm.
The top line
Gloucester recorded a much-needed bonus-point triumph over Sale Sharks thanks to tries from Santiago Carreras, Max Llewellyn (2), Josh Hathaway and Tomos Williams.
Carreras was the star of the show and would win the Player of the Match award as the Los Pumas international contributed 16 of his team’s points from the full-back jersey.
The vital home success keeps Gloucester very much in the hunt for the play-off spots and also moves them above today’s visitors by one point on the Premiership table.
Wales brilliance will warm Warren Gatland
Gloucester have almost become something of a fifth region such is the Wales talent on show and head coach Warren Gatland will have been warmed on this cold day by the showings of wings Llewellyn and Hathaway especially. Both men showed flashes of brilliance, notably in the first period as the Cherry and Whites led 22-3 at one point.
Williams was also impressive from the base as his fine form continues to turn heads, possibly at British & Irish Lions level, with the scrum-half icing his efforts with a late try.
There is therefore reason for optimism for Wales supporters because of this trio and lock Freddie Thomas’ performances. However, Gareth Anscombe not returning for the second half and being seen on the sideline with an iced knee does sour what was an otherwise very positive afternoon not just for Gloucester but Wales this year too.
Try of the season contender
What a try it was to get the scoreboard moving at Kingsholm as Gloucester set off from their own 22 and promptly went the length of the field for an excellent team crossing.
The ball found its way to Hathaway on the left wing and he raced over halfway before sending it back inside to Williams, who offloaded to full-back Carreras for his run-in.
It was a wonderful try that showed the confidence the Gloucester attack has at the moment and it should be in the running for best Premiership crossing of the season.
That's how you open the scoring ?
Santi Carreras finishes off a SCORCHER for @gloucesterrugby ?
Watch live on @rugbyontnt ?#GallagherPrem | #GLOvSAL pic.twitter.com/srTaibagb4
— Premiership Rugby (@premrugby) January 4, 2025
Sale back to earth with a thud
Coming into this match on the back of a brilliant 38-0 win at Bristol Bears, keeping one of the Premiership’s most prolific attacking sides to zero, was a significant statement.
Last week defence coach Byron McGuigan had the Sharks in fearsome form, it seemed, but this result – and conceding 36 points – will leave Sale reeling as they travel north.
Indeed, the visitors had only leaked 17 points in their most recent two outings in all competitions but five tries got through today. Expect an icy debrief on Monday morning.
How is that a penalty?
Lastly, we’re in the same camp as co-commentator Chris Ashton here as we cannot fathom how common sense didn’t come into play with a late penalty at Kingsholm.
With Gloucester on an attack near the halfway line, a flat pass was fired in the direction of Chris Harris. However, Sale’s rush defence led to Joe Carpenter collecting it just before Harris could get there. The Scotland international therefore had to back out before contact but could not stop his head from grazing the back of Carpenter’s.
TMO and referee Jack Makepeace rather harshly adjudged it to be a penalty offence against Harris but surely this was unavoidable, with Harris solely focussed on the pass?
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