Scotland wing Arron Reed scored twice as Sale Sharks recorded a thumping 39-25 bonus-point win over Leicester Tigers at Salford Stadium.
Reed’s brace laid the platform for a blistering period early in the second half which saw young prop Asher Opoku-Fordjour also touch down as the Sharks romped to victory.
The first half was an altogether tighter affair and ended 12-11 to the hosts with tries from back-rower Dan du Preez, making his 100th Sale appearance, and prop Bevan Rodd.
Michael Cheika’s Tigers scored through Nicky Smith, Freddie Steward and George Martin but Sale ran out worthy winners and claimed a sixth score through Luke Cowan-Dickie.
Leicester began brightly and forced Sale deep inside their own 22-metre line inside the opening exchanges.
The hosts were forced to defend furiously to keep the Tigers out as they built numerous phases. Sale finally buckled in the 11th minute when prop Smith ploughed his way over the line from close range inside the right channel.
Fly-half Handre Pollard skewed his conversion attempt well wide but Leicester’s early 5-0 advantage was the least they deserved for their vibrant start.
The Tigers continued to probe and Pollard kicked a penalty in the 19th minute to extend their lead.
Sale barely escaped their own half during the opening quarter but they finally fashioned an opening midway through the first half when Rob du Preez sent a teasing grubber kick to the left corner.
Reed narrowly failed to ground the ball under pressure from a Leicester defender, but the Sharks kept the pressure on and Dan du Preez touched down in the right corner in the 23rd minute.
Moments later Pollard kicked his second penalty to put Leicester 11-5 up after Sale were guilty of obstruction.
But in the 31st minute, the hosts scored their second try when Rodd went over from close range after good work from a line-out and some quick handling close to Leicester’s line.
Rob du Preez then converted Rodd’s try to put Sale 12-11 ahead at the break before they extended their lead two minutes into the second half.
A superb break inside the left channel saw the hosts cut Leicester apart as the ball went through several pairs of hands before Reed finished off in the corner.
Five minutes later, Reed scampered over again for his second and Opoku-Fordjour then collected possession and charged under the posts for Sale’s fifth try.
Leicester hit back through Steward’s well-taken try down the right flank, which Pollard converted, after Joe Heyes had been sinbinned for an illegal challenge on Hyron Andrews.
But Sale scored again through the impressive Cowan-Dickie and Rob du Preez converted, giving him a nine-point haul with the boot in total, before Martin touched down late on and Jamie Shillcock converted.
PA
