Moment in Time: Sale Sharks and the 2002 Parker Pen Shield
Sale reached this final the hard way. They had scraped past Bristol in the quarter-finals, 25-20, but looked set to exit at the semi-final stage when, with seconds remaining of a titanic struggle against Gloucester at neutral Franklin’s Gardens, hot-shot kicker Ludovic Mercier lined up a straightforward penalty that would have put the Cherry & Whites through. But Mercier missed, the Sharks prevailed 28-27 and all roads led to Oxford for a showdown against Pontypridd.
“To this day, I cannot believe Mercier missed,” recalls Sale wing Steve Hanley. “Every time I’d played against the bugger he’d never failed and this was the easiest kick I’d ever seen him have. We were standing there thinking, ‘we’ve just blown this one’. But he sent it wide and reaching the final was a massive moment for us, both as players and for Sale Sharks.
“It was the first evidence that the transformation under Brian Kennedy was taking shape. ‘Robbo’ and Apollo Perelini had been big signings from Rugby League and (chief executive) Peter Deakin had started the off-field revolution in commercialising the club. Then they employed Jim Mallinder and Steve Diamond on the coaching side and things took off.
“We were a team that had been put together fairly quickly the season before, but we came to fruition in that 2001-02 campaign, finishing second in the league behind one of the best Leicester teams of all time and then winning the Parker Pen Shield.”
In keeping with the rest of their cup campaign, the final would be no stroll in the park. Back in 2002, Pontypridd were a star-studded outfit boasting a wealth of current or future Welsh internationals such as Sonny Parker, Ceri Sweeney, Gethin Jenkins, Brent Cockbain, Robert Sidoli and Michael Owen. They were in no mood to bend a knee to the English upstarts and soon took charge of the match in front of a full-house 12,000 crowd.
With current Doncaster head coach Brett Davey in fine kicking form, Pontypridd built up a 15-3 lead going into the break. But it was a different story after half-time when, with Charlie Hodgson taking charge, the Sharks fought back.
“It was a bizarre game in many ways,” Hanley recalls. “Pontypridd were a top Welsh team and playing catch-up in a cup final is hard to do at the best of times, but we managed to steady the ship and Charlie changed the game. We got one try back through Martin Shaw and then took the lead when Charlie whipped a brilliant ball wide and I managed to scoot in from 40 yards.
“I remember that try really well because our fans were packed in behind the goal and it was the first time I’d felt like a footballer scoring. There aren’t many ends in rugby like a football end, but that one was and all our fans came rushing down to celebrate. It was brilliant.”
Pontypridd were not done, though, and after setting up a rolling maul off a penalty, hooker Mefin Davies bundled over for the try on 67 minutes. Davey converted for a 22-18 lead, after which Sale responded by sending on replacement inside centre Dan Harris for Mel Deane. It proved an inspired substitution that was to pay dividends late in the game.
Says Hanley: “I remember feeling a bit of panic stations after they’d scored, thinking we were the best side but knowing Pontypridd were just staying ahead of us. But we got the winning try near the end through a move we’d practised week after week.
“It’s one where the 12 dummies to drift out but then holds his line, and Charlie timed his pass to perfection as Dan Harris burst through to score. Charlie converted and we were all elated as we knew then that we were going to win. It was the first piece of top silverware the club had ever won, so to be involved in that team was fantastic for everyone involved.
“We got back to Manchester and partied on the old pitch at Heywood Road. Then the following night we had our end of season dinner, so it was a 48-hour booze-up. There were guys who will be best mates for life and I’m in regular contact with most of them.
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: THE CLASS OF 2002
1. Kevin Yates: Joined Saracens in 2004 before moving to France in 2008 to play for Nice. Retired a couple of years ago and is now a yacht-broker in Monte Carlo.
2. Charl Marais: Left Sale in 2003 and returned to South Africa, where he coaches in junior rugby as well as being a rugby pundit on TV.
3. Stuart Turner: Propped for Sale until 2010, after which he went into coaching and is currently head coach of National League Two North side Caldy.
4. Scott Lines: Joined Ayr in 2003 where he played for five years. Now believed to be in New Zealand.
5. Chris Jones: Spent a further nine seasons at Sale before joining Worcester.
6. Alex Sanderson: Joined Saracens in 2004 but was forced to retire through injury in 2005. Briefly coached at Queensland Reds but now back at Sarries as assistant coach.
7. Stuart Pinkerton: Left Sale in 2004 and returned to Australia, where he now runs Pinkerton Furniture and Design in Newcastle, NSW.
8. Peter Anglesea: Called it a day in 2006 but has remained with Sale, first working on the community side before joining the coaching team.
9. Bryan Redpath: Retired from playing in 2005 to become backs coach at Gloucester, and was then head coach from 2009. Left Gloucester in April and is now back at Sharks as head coach.
10. Charlie Hodgson: Left Sale in 2011 to join Saracens where he is still going strong.
11. Steve Hanley: Retired from playing in 2008 and remains the Premiership’s record try-scorer with 75 touchdowns. Joined Sharks’ commercial department.
12. Mel Deane: Joined Harlequins in 2003 where he played for four years before spending two years at Connacht. Retired in 2009 and now runs his own strength and conditioning business.
13. Martin Shaw: Joined Bristol that summer, then signed for Newcastle a year later. Is now a personal trainer in Monaco.
14. Mark Cueto: The ultimate one-club pro who’s still playing at Sharks.
15. Jason Robinson: Won the Rugby World Cup with England in 2003 and enjoyed a glittering career before ending his career at Fylde in 2011. Now works for PROSKINS and is an ambassador for HSBC.
Replacements
Dan Harris (for Deane, 67): Joined Saracens in 2003 and retired in 2006. Now a director for Zone Twelve, providing business development services in London.
Andy Titterell (for Marais, 67): Left Sale in 2007 and played for Gloucester and Leeds. He has just signed for Edinburgh on a one-year contract.
