43-26 victory for Gloucester who pick up first win of the season
18:02, 12 Sep 2026Updated 18:02, 12 Sep 2026
GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Tom Burrow of Sale Sharks runs at the defence during the PREM Rugby Cup match between Gloucester Rugby and Sale Sharks at Kingsholm Stadium on September 12, 2026 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images for Sale Sharks)(Image: Getty Images for Sale Sharks)
A heavy scoring affair at Kingsholm saw Gloucester Rugby pick up their first win of their campaign against Sale Sharks, coming away with a 43-26 victory in their first home game of the 2026/27 season.
Domination from the hosts, saw three tries in the first 20 minutes with Ben Redshaw, Seb Blake and Will Joseph taking the ball over the line for an early 19-0 lead. But the visitors scored two tries of their own through Alfie Longstaff and Tom O’Flaherty.
Although Ollie Thorley went over for insurance, just before Blake grabbed his second through the maul as the clock was red with help of a sin-bin for Ponipate Loganimas, and then Max Knight continued the host’s success early in the second half going over from a Redshaw offload.
Sale fought back with two tries, to cut the deficit to 12 with replacement Nathan Jibulu scoring, as well as O’Flaherty with a brace. Bu the Cherry and Whites’ sealed things when lock Will Trenholm battled through the defence for Gloucester’s seventh and final try of the afternoon and give them the bonus point win that sees them top the PREM Rugby Cup group.
The Cherry and Whites opened the scoring just five minutes into the game, as Charlie Atkinson broke the line on the opposing 22 to feed the ball to full-back Redshaw, who was able to reach over the line for the first of the afternoon
An excellent grubber 50/22 from Caolan Englefield in the 14th minute took the hosts to a lineout five metres from the line, who were able to drive the maul over the line in the hands of Blake to extend the early lead. Joseph also got his name on the scoresheet after for Gloucester’s third of the game.
GLOUCESTER, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 12: Reuben Logan of Sale Sharks crashes into Jonno Balding of Gloucester during the PREM Rugby Cup match between Gloucester Rugby and Sale Sharks at Kingsholm Stadium on September 12, 2026 in Gloucester, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images for Sale Sharks)(Image: Getty Images for Sale Sharks)
The visitors fought back just two minutes later with a lineout on the five-metre marking. The maul forced the ball over the host’s try line in the hands of Longstaff. O’Flaherty helped the visitors put pressure on with a run down the right-hand side touchline from his own half, Hanson took the ball to stroll over the line.
Gloucester bounced back in a heavy scoring ten minutes of play, the ball was given to Thorley who powered through the Sale defence to run under the sticks for the Cherry and Whites’ fourth.
After a try heavy first-half, the hosts sent themselves into the tunnel happy after Blake took his second over the line from a driving maul in-front of a joyous Shed at Kingsholm.
The hosts started the second half where they left from, with Redshaw giving the offload to Knight in the left side of the field with another overpowering display from Gloucester’s attack.
An aggressive Sharks side pushed through phases in the away 22, earning themselves a penalty. The resilient Gloucester defensive line could not hold back Jibulu for the visitor’s first points in the second half. Sale continued their push when Davies saw space of his own down the right wing, support was present through O’Flaherty who ran the ball across the line for his second try of the game.
Speedy play along the Gloucester left wing put the Sharks desperately fighting on their own line, but the lock Will Trenholm was able to bury the ball on the line for the final points of the afternoon.
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