There was a lot of talk before this match. There was the clash of the England kickers, There was Dallaglio versus Chabal. There was the growing excitement of an impending try-fest. There was the war brewing between the club and the RFU. This was to be the match of the season. For the Sharks it was to be pivotal: win this and you can win anything.

Phillipe Saint-Andre chose the night to impose some very unfamiliar tactics on the Sale team. This was to be a gritty, aggressive and highly disciplined match. It was a game to be slogged out up front - two massive sets of forwards packing down against each other and fighting. And so came to pass.

The scores were low, and there was only one try, but there was entertainment to be had. The teams were very closely matched, but in the end the Sale pack just had the edge. The first half saw Simon Shaw penalised in the lineout - and Charlie Hodgson recouping 3 points for Sale. Van Gisbergen levelled the scores with a penalty for Wasps. Sale's front row must have been practising the dark arts and they forced scrum after scrum into turnovers and penalties. Three more times in the half these penalties were close enough for the Hodgson kick to up the score. At halftime the try-fest had not manifested itself - 12-3.

The second half was more of the same from Sale, barring one slip in defence which allowed Josh Lewsey through for an undeniably stylish try between the posts. Van Gisbergen converted, and things could have gone horribly wrong for the home team. Sale maintained their collective cool heads however, and again controlled the game. Dawson and Dallaglio were battered and bruised. The Sale back line stopped every break made by Voyce or Lewsey, brilliant though they were. Their reward was another two penalties from Hodgson, bringing the total up to 18 points.

This was not the most entertaining of games for the traditional Sale fan; where were the tries? But it was nail biting stuff. It was above all a heartening game. Sale fronted up against the English champions and played them at their own, dirty, aggressive game. Sale won; win this and you can win anything.