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Marcus Smith saboteur in chief as Harlequins derail unbeaten Sale

By PA
Marcus Smith (C) of Harlequins reacts after scoring a try during the Gallagher Premiership Rugby match between Sale Sharks and Harlequins at Salford City Stadium on October 23, 2022 in Salford, United Kingdom. (Photo by Nigel Roddis/Getty Images)

Marcus Smith proved the difference for dogged Harlequins as they deservedly put an end to Sale’s unbeaten start to the Premiership season at the AJ Bell Stadium.

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England fly-half Smith scored 24 of Quins’ 29 points as a resolute defensive effort kept previously high-scoring Sale at arm’s length.

Quins’ 29-13 triumph – their third win of the campaign – will surely be one of head coach Tabai Matson’s most satisfying yet after Nick David’s early try had got the ball rolling in Manchester.

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Both teams had tried to make some enterprising breaks by the time Quins broke through in the 11th minute.

Sharks’ defence had been standing firm until that point, but a quick break and a tidy kick forward by Smith – on his 100th Premiership appearance – bounced favourably for David, who just about got over in the corner.

Smith obliged with a difficult kick, which went over off the post.

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The Sharks were soon level, however, with some terrific work from Raffi Quirke carving an opening for Sam James, who was able to charge through under the posts unopposed. Rob du Preez could not miss the conversion.

Suddenly the game had burst into life, and minutes later a Du Preez penalty edged Sale 10-7 ahead.

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Some expansive play by Danny Care eventually led to Quins earning a penalty chance, and Smith was classy with an effort from distance to even it up again.

As half-time approached both sides were enjoying their share of possession, only for the odd loose pass to halt the momentum.

It was a superbly-worked try which sent Quins in at the break with the advantage. Quick hands through the backs from left to right culminated with Care whipping the ball to Smith, who darted in close to the posts.

Smith’s precise boot ensured Matson’s battlers went in at half-time leading 17-10.

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Smith’s accuracy came to the fore early in the second period, as his penalty attempt from distance sailed right down the middle to make it 20-10.

Sharks replied through Du Preez, however, and within seconds the gap was down to seven again.

This was growing into an intriguing clash as both teams continued at a relentless pace in trying to up their bid for supremacy, though it was another Smith penalty which helped keep Sale at bay with 25 minutes left.

Quins now had the upper hand and looked to be homing in on what would be an eye-catching victory, and more Sharks indiscipline allowed Smith another chance to pop over a penalty from long range. Again he made no mistake to extend the visitors’ lead to 26-13.

When the man of the moment kicked another penalty to extend the lead to 16 points with nine minutes to go, it now looked like Sale’s game was finally up.

The hosts threatened late on but Quins held on for a deserved victory to move up to fifth in the Premiership table.

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kumar supriya 28 minutes ago
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kumar supriya 30 minutes ago
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MY NAME IS SUPRIYA KUMAR FROM INDIA PLEASE FIND TIME TO READ THIS CAREFULLY.              AS WE ALL KNOW INDIA IS NUMBER ONE IN THE WORLD IN TERMS OF MAGIC SO DO NOT IGNORE THIS. BE CAREFUL HERE, NOBODY CAN HELP YOU FROM AFRICA OR EVEN SUGGEST HOW YOU CAN GET YOUR EX OR LOVE BACK, ANY TESTIMONIES OF MOST SPELL CASTER FROM AFRICA HERE MUST BE IGNORED, BECAUSE MOST OF THEM ARE SCAM I MEAN REAL SCAM AND FROM AFRICA WHICH I WAS A VICTIM AND I GOT RIPPED OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS BECAUSE I WAS SO ANXIOUS TO GET MY HUSBAND JOHN BACK AFTER HE LEFT ME FOR OVER 2YEARS WITH MY 3YEARS OLD SON JERRY,I HAVE APPLIED TO 7 DIFFERENT SPELL CASTER HERE I MET ON THIS BLOG AND ALL TO NO AVAIL THEY ALL ASK FOR SAME THING SEND YOUR NAME YOUR EX NAME ADDRESS AND PICTURE PHONE NUMBER ETC WHICH I DID OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND MOST OF THEM WERE FROM AFRICA, I WAS SO CONFUSED AND I WAS ALWAYS SICK BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND I WAS SO DESPERATE TO HAVE JOHN BACK TO ME I LOVE HIM SO MUCH AND COULD DIE FOR HIM. UNTIL A FRIEND TOLD ME ABOUT THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS THE GREATEST SPELL TEMPLE, (templeofdreams1@gmail.com) TEMPLE OF BLACK AND WHITE (GOOD AND EVIL) IN INDIA, AND I DECIDED TO SEND A MAIL TO THE TEMPLE. THE SECRETARY TOLD ME THAT ALL MY PROBLEM ARE OVER SINCE I HAVE DECIDED TO CONTACT INDIA FOR HELP, HE TOLD ME TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED BETWEEN ME AND MY EX HUSBAND JOHN AND I DID, I TOLD HIM ALL THAT HAPPENED FROM THE BEGINNING. AND HE SAID TO ME MY CHILD WHAT YOU JUST EXPLAINED TO ME NOW IS A LITTLE PROBLEM TO HANDLE COMPARE TO SERIOUS PROBLEMS THE TEMPLE HAS HANDLED, I WAS SO SHOCKED AND I SAID TO MY SELF WHAT PROBLEM COULD BE MORE SERIOUS THAN THIS. HE TOLD ME WHAT I NEEDED TO DO AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BUT WHAT HE SAID LOOK SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE HEARD IN THE PAST(THAT I WAS TO PAY FOR THE ITEMS NEEDED), I WAS HAVING DOUBT ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF PAST EXPERIENCE, BUT I DECIDED TO TRY SINCE THE TEMPLE IS LOCATED IN INDIA (ASIA) AND NOT AFRICA (NIGERIA AND SOUTH AFRICA) THEY COULD BE REAL AND DIFFERENT. SO I GAVE THEM 50% OF MY TRUST. THIS WAS LIKE A MAGIC AND DREAM COME TRUE TO ME, AFTER TWO DAYS WHEN THE SPELL HAS BEEN CASTEED, JOHN BEEPED MY PHONE AT ABOUT 9:PM I COULD NOT SLEEP THAT NIGHT BECAUSE I REALLY LOVE JOHN AND WANT HIM BACK. BY 7:AM THE NEXT MORNING HE GAVE ME ANOTHER  MISSED CALL I DECIDED NOT TO CALL BACK AS I WAS STILL ON SHOCK,   AT ABOUT 10:AM THAT MORNING HE CALLED AND I PICKED HE SAID CAN WE SEE AFTER WORK TODAY I SAID YES SO HE ENDED THE CALL IMMEDIATELY I GOT OFF WORK HE CALLED ME AND TOLD ME WERE TO MEET HIM, I WAS STILL ON SHOCK, BEHOLD WHEN I GOT THERE I SAW JOHN CRYING WITH TEARS ALL OVER HIS EYES, AND HE SAID TO ME MY WIFE, I AM SO SORRY IMMEDIATELY I HUGGED HIM AND KISSED HIM WHICH I HAVE MISSED ALL THIS YEARS. ALL THANK TO TEMPLE OF DREAMS. IF YOU ARE A MAN OR A WOMAN READING THIS AND YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH SIMILAR PROBLEMS LIKE MINE, DO NOT FAIL TO CONTACT THIS GREAT TEMPLE. HE IS REALLY INDEED A REAL SPELL CASTER.           THE WORST OF ALL IS THAT I DON’T KNOW THE PARTICULAR DOCTOR THAT HELPED ME AS I WAS TOLD THAT THERE ARE MORE THAN 300 SPELL CASTERS WORKING IN THE TEMPLE, UNLIKE THE SINGLE SCAM DOCTORS IN AFRICA. I AM NO LONGER AFRAID OF THE SPELL CASTERS IN AFRICA BECAUSE THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS ASSURED AND GAVE ME HUNDRED PERCENT PROTECTION AND ALSO HELPED ME RECOVER 50% OF MY MONEY THAT I PAYED TO SCAMS FROM AFRICA SOME SERVICES RENDERED IN THE TEMPLE OF DREAMS (1) If you want your ex back. (2) To cure HIV/AID or related illness (3) You want to be promoted in your office. (4) You want women/men to run after you. (5) If you want a child. (6) Are you a contractor and you want to win contract (7) You want to tie your husband/wife to be yours forever. (8) If you need help spiritually. (9) How you been scammed and you want to recover you lost money.     (10)Stop Divorce (11)Invoking of Money Ritual (12)To verify if your online lover is real (13)To verify if your online loan is real (14)To be very brilliant (15)If you are looking for a good job (16)If you are old and want to look young (17) If you want to be free from threats of spell caster in AFRICA And many more.. Email... templeofdreams1@gmail.com  

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