SALE Sharks put on a much improved show as they started life at Salford City Stadium, but their former player Charlie Hodgson spoilt the ‘opening night’ with a commanding performance.

The Sharks held a slightly fortuitous 16-12 lead with twenty minutes left, but within a minute fell to a try from England winger Ashton. Despite brave efforts, they couldn't claw back the deficit but took a ‘losing bonus point’ to open their season’s account.

All the scoring in a tense first half was from penalties - three to Cipriani, four from Hodgson. Sale number ten Cipriani put the Sharks ahead after three minutes but Hodgson replied with four strikes in a fifteen minute spell as the penalty count against the home side mounted.

Hodgson featured in a 25th minute escape for the Sharks, when he charged down a kick but was caught by his opposite number Cipriani who reduced the 12-3 deficit on 32 minutes following a block by Barritt on Tuitupou which might have merited stronger censure.

The final ten minutes of the first half saw Sharks much more in the game, with Addison and Vernon speeding up the wing to pressure Wyles. Penalties started to be awarded the Sharks' way, Cipriani sending two between the posts for a 9-12 half time scoreline.

The half time consensus was that both sides had indulged in too much kicking. The Sharks’ offloading days of last season seemed far away.

Three minutes into the second half, Saracens were attacking strongly down the left and looking likely to score until Addison intercepted. Roared on by the majority of the 7,451 crowd, he sprinted the length of the pitch, cutting inside to score under the posts. Cipriani slotted over the conversion to put the Sharks 16-12 up.

Wyles and Barritt attacked in reply, Sharks infringing to allow Hodgson to narrow the gap to one point. Sixty seconds later, the ball was whipped along right for England man Ashton to score in the right corner.

Hodgson hit the post with the wide conversion attempt but atoned on 68 minutes with his sixth penalty of the game. Free kicks and scrum collapses, together with two alleged unpunished knockons left the home crowd frustrated at the officiating.

Sharks mounted a final assault, but the final touch wasn’t with them and Saracens, a side who are going to again be amongst the front runners in the Aviva Premiership, gained the victory.

Sharks: Miller, Addison, Leota, Tuitupou (Uys 59), Cueto, Cipriani (Macleod 61), Peel (Cliff 73), Roberts (Dickinson 61), Ward, Cobilas (Thomas 68), Gray, Myall, Gaskell, Seymour (capt.), Vernon Replacements not used: Taylor, McKenzie, Doyle.

Redpath's reaction SALE Sharks’ Director of Rugby Bryan Redpath talked about his side’s improvement after Saturday’s match: “We haven’t won yet but we’ve played two teams who were above us in the league last season and though we are disappointed to lose, it was a lot better than last week, which is the key thing.

“We didn’t get the rub of the green at certain times and I thought the referee was harsh on certain things but, on the whole, we were far better than last week and I’m a lot happier overall.

“I thought Danny Cipriani did pretty well. He kicked pretty well and you can see he needs some more time with the players so people can read him,” Redpath continued.

“He is a threat and I thought he was good. He is a talented rugby player and I thought he kicked smartly on certain occasions.

“And the more he plays the better he will get.

“In terms of the ground, we have only trained here three or four times so it will take time to adjust,” he added.

“At the moment it's not an advantage for us as it's new for everyone.

“Over the next few weeks we can train more and use the wind when it is there.”