KINGSLEY Jones reign as the new Sale director of rugby got off to the perfect start as the Sharks recorded a crucial bonus point win at Sixways.

In a brusing encounter which saw Worcester's Chris Latham stretchered off, tries from Chris Jones, Oriol Ripol, Neil Briggs and Chris Bell and 17 points from the boot of Charlie Hodgson helped lift Sale up into third place in the Guinness Premiership.

The win also helped exact revenge for the Warriors' win at Edgeley Park earlier in the season and was the perfect way to go in to a mini Six Nations break.

In an incident-packed encounter, Latham had earlier cancelled out Hodgson's early penalty to surge through a gap in the Sale defence and power the Warriors ahead with a converted try.

But that was to prove the World Cup-winning Australian full back's last significant action of the afternoon as he was stretchered off after a worrying 10 minute delay with a neck brace attached to him.

And when Worcester number eight Kai Horstmann was banished to the sin bin on 19 minutes for an infringement, Sale, for once, took full advantage of their superiority in numbers.

A second Hodgson penalty and drop goal gave Jones' men a deservd lead and then Chris Jones stormed through for his frist try of the season, Hodgson adding the conversion to  make it 16-7 in the visitors favour.

But the last score of a ferocious first half went to Worcester with Carlisle slotting home his first penalty of the day.

And when the fly-half pegged the lead back to just three points early in the second half, Sale's spirits could have sagged.

Instead they launched a sustained period of pressure which brought about a deserved 51st minute from winger Ripol after fine work by the impressive Dwayne Peel and Mathew Tait, Hodgson converting.

Twelve minutes later, flanker Briggs intercepted Carlisle's pass to race over under the posts to allow Hodgson the easiest of kicks to stretch Sale 30-13 ahead.

And though Worcester hit back through Marcel Garvey's 71st minute score, Carlisle's kick narrowing the lead to 30-20, Chris Bell's last minute converted try rounded off a perfect afternoon for Sale, earning them a precious bonus point into the bargain.

What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.

Tweet