Saracens began the defence of their Aviva Premiership title with a convincing 41-3 victory over Sale at Allianz Park.
The champions scored five tries through Mike Ellery, with two, Michael Rhodes, Will Fraser and Tim Streather, with Charlie Hodgson’s immaculate kicking being rewarded with two penalty goals and five conversions. Alex Goode added one conversion following Hodgson’s departure.
The home side dominated in all areas with Sale putting in a particularly poor performance. The visitors’ pack retreated at every scrum so there was no platform for Danny Cipriani to develop. As a result, he turned in a disappointing effort, distinguished by some aimless kicking.
Cipriani’s penalty goal was Sale’s only score as Saracens relaxed after building up a match-winning lead of 27-3 before the interval.
The result made it a Premiership debut to forget for Bryn Evans and Bryan Mujati, Sale’s new signings, with Saracens able to start with Mako Vunipola and George Kruis, the England pair, on the bench as Michael Rhodes, a summer signing from the Stormers, made his debut in the back row.
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It was Rhodes, who put Saracens ahead after only five minutes by finishing off a driving lineout for a try, which Hodgson converted.
Sale had their first chance for points but Cipriani was wide with a penalty attempt before Hodgson rewarded the home side’s dominance in the opening quarter by kicking a penalty goal himself.
Cipriani was successful with his second kick at goal to leave his side trailing 10-3 at the end of the first quarter before Hodgson responded in kind to extend Saracens’ lead
Two more tries before the break, however, effectively decided the match in Saracens’ favour. First, from a lineout in the visitors’ 22, a strong burst from Duncan Taylor got the hosts over the gain line before Streather slipped past a weak tackle from Will Addison, the wing, to score.
And from the last movement of the first half, a well-timed pass from Hodgson sent Goode away, who had no trouble in putting Ellery over. Hodgson added his fourth conversion for a 27-3 half-time lead.
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Within five minutes of the re-start, Saracens lost Taylor through injury, with the centre still groggy after a first half collision. Nick Tompkins replaced him before Vunipola and Kruis were introduced with half an hour remaining.
Despite now playing against the wind, Sale showed more fight in the opening period of the second half than they did in the whole of the first. Mujati split the home defence apart with one powerful run but Sale could not capitalise and the hosts resumed control.
Saracens picked up a bonus point with 18 minutes remaining when a clever inside pass from Ben Spencer sent Ellery in for his second try. Hodgson converted before being replaced and, when Fraser scored Saracens’ fifth with five minutes remaining, Goode knocked over the extras.