Sale 27-10 Gloucester: Nathan Jibulu shines on debut as Thursday night rugby sparks debate
Debutant hooker helps Sale to bonus-point win as midweek fixtures test scheduling and broadcast plans
Sale Sharks defeated Gloucester 27-10 in a rare Thursday night Premiership clash, with Nathan Jibulu scoring on his debut and helping the hosts seize control in the final quarter. The attendance of about 6,600 was well below the weekend average, but supporters left with a sense of relief after Sale navigated late pressure and established a platform for midweek rugby. The match showcased the potential appeal of Thursday-night fixtures while highlighting ongoing questions about scheduling, player welfare and broadcast economics in English rugby.
Sale targeted Gloucester at the set piece from the start, with Gloucester naming Harrison Bellamy at loosehead in their starting pack. The first try of the season came in the 17th minute when Sale’s driving maul peeled off toward the touchline and Tom Roebuck finished the move. Ross Byrne added Gloucester’s first points from the tee with a penalty, and Jack Clement’s try right before half-time gave Gloucester a narrow lead as they finally gained clean ball from a lineout.
Jibulu struck for Sale when Clement was sin-binned, and in the final quarter George Ford steered the visitors with control as Sale added tries from Joe Carpenter and Hyron Andrews to secure the bonus-point win. The debutant’s presence gave Sale a tangible edge at the scrum and in midfield battles, underscoring the argument that midweek rugby can offer a fresh, high-intensity product when managed properly.
Off the field, Sale co-owner Michelle Orange, who has been vocal about keeping weekends free for the women’s game, agreed to take the Thursday slot. She noted that the club would receive no additional broadcast money for staging the midweek fixture, and rights holders will weigh midweek slots when the next broadcasting cycle is negotiated. The decision to schedule the match to avoid a clash with the women’s World Cup final reflected a cautious approach to midweek programming and revenue sharing.
Sale coach Alex Sanderson was gamesome about the concept, saying: I love it, what’s not to love, we’ve got the whole weekend to drink malbec! If you lose it’s a long weekend. We’re going into town tomorrow to a sauna, it’s the biggest in Europe so we’ll go in there to get the review done. It’s the truth chamber. Then they’ve got the weekend to relax. Commercially, is it feasible, can we get enough people through the gates? It looked pretty busy tonight. The only issue is the turnaround time if you play from a Saturday to a Thursday it makes it difficult but whatever brings people through the gates to watch some decent rugby.