Sale edge Harlequins 28-24 with late penalty try

Sale Sharks beat Harlequins 28-24 at the CorpAcq Stadium on Sunday 11 October 2026, settling it with a penalty try in the 73rd minute. The hosts came from behind to take it late. BBC Sport

It was a third straight defeat of the Prem campaign for Harlequins. The loss left them at the bottom of the table. Sale, by contrast, have now won back to back after losing at home to Bristol on the opening day.

Harlequins flew out of the blocks. Marcus Smith scored two tries inside the opening quarter to give the visitors an early grip on the game.

They still led 17-14 at half-time. Sale stayed in touch, then found a way through in a tight second half.

Sale's tries came from Tom Canakaivata, Nye Warr and Joe Bamber, plus that decisive penalty try. A penalty try is awarded when illegal play stops a certain score and is worth seven points straight away, with no kick needed. George Ford added three conversions, the kicks at goal taken after a try.

Harlequins' points came from four tries, two each for Smith and Sam Riley. Smith also kicked two conversions. The four-try haul was not enough once Sale's pack turned the screw late on.

The finish continued Sale's recovery after a slow start, with wins over Saracens and then Harlequins following that Bristol defeat. It also bucked a tricky home run. Sale had won only one of their previous six Prem games at the CorpAcq before this one, a 38-17 win in Round 18 last season, according to Harlequins' match preview. Harlequins

Christophe Ridley refereed the contest. His big call was the late penalty try that decided it.

What makes this stand out is the swing in momentum. Smith's sharp early running put Quins in control. Sale absorbed it, stayed within a score, and then used pressure up front to force the decisive moment.