Scarlets hails 'great result'
December 13, 2002

Llanelli coach Gareth Jenkins acclaimed his team's potentially priceless Heineken Cup victory over Sale Sharks as "a great result".

The Scarlets trailed by three points just five minutes from time, but substitute forward David Hodges' try and a Stephen Jones penalty saw them home 17-12.

With French rivals Bourgoin losing at Glasgow on Friday night, Llanelli remained on course for the quarter-finals with two Pool Three games remaining.

"We've had a great result tonight," said Jenkins.

"We were under the cosh, and we weren't winning that game until the 75th minute. The key was our composure - we didn't panic.

"Bourgoin's defeat has made this group a reality for us. It was certainly a nice Christmas present for us from Scotland.

"The result was the most important thing for us. Sale defended aggressively and magnificently, and I cannot give enough credit to them."

Llanelli lost talisman number eight Scott Quinnell with a rib injury at half-time - Hodges replaced him - while wing Wayne Proctor went to hospital for tests on possible concussion.

Sale had the satisfaction of outscoring their hosts 2-1 on tries - flanker Apollo Perelini and centre Graeme Bond touched down - but a fourth successive Heineken Cup defeat means that they have no chance of progressing further.

"It was a bit of a difficult task coming down here, but I was delighted with the performance," said Sale coach Jim Mallinder.

"Llanelli probably weren't quite as consistent in getting over the gain-line tonight as they were against us last week but we missed 28 one-on-one tackles last Friday, which you cannot afford to do."

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