Premiership: Sale Sharks 31-16 Newcastle Falcons - hosts cruise to second straight win

Sale Sharks ended a run of two games without victory when they beat Exeter Chiefs last week

Sale Sharks made it two Premiership wins in a row as they comfortably overcame Newcastle Falcons at AJ Bell Stadium.

The hosts led at the break courtesy of tries from Marland Yarde and Lood de Jager, with Brett Connon's penalties getting the Falcons off the mark.

Sale had WillGriff John sent to the sin-bin after the break before Joel Matavesi got the Falcons' only try.

The Sharks' win was affirmed late on when Simon Hammersley crossed over.

The result means Sale move up to second in the Premiership table, five points behind leaders Bristol Bears, while Newcastle remain in seventh despite their defeat.

Sale made two changes to the XV that started their win over Exeter Chiefs last Friday, as Cobus Wiese and Akker van der Merwe came into the side.

Without Jono Ross, Faf de Klerk captained the Sharks and the scrum-half made an immediate impact, setting up Yarde for the opening try within two minutes.

Matavesi, brother of Bath utility-back Josh, came on deep into the second half and scored a late consolation try for the visitors while on his Premiership debut.

Sale Sharks director of rugby Alex Sanderson told BT Sport:

"Newcastle make every team work for it. They're really gutsy a hard-working well-coached side so we didn't expect anything less.

"Exeter was pretty good last week and we scored early on then as well but there were many pleasing aspects tonight and our attacking play looks slick.

"The best sides in the Premiership have the best defences. Defences win championships and that old cliche still stands true."

Newcastle Falcons boss Dean Richards:

"We had enough chances to score enough tries but we just didn't take them, and we have to look to ourselves as to the reasons why.

""We were on a six-day turnaround this week, which basically meant one full training day, and it's just not enough when you've missed three weeks.

"Credit to Sale, they're a good side, but our players were frustrated by some of the scrum penalties. That's life, though, and it's not the reason we lost."

Sale Sharks: James; McGuigan, James, Hill, Yarde; MacGinty, De Klerk; Rodd, Langdon, John, Beaumont, De Jager, Wiese, Dugdale, Daniel du Preez.

Replacements: Van der Merwe, Harrison, Oosthuizen, Du Preez, Neild, Quirke, Robert du Preez, Hammersley.

Newcastle Falcons: Penny; Carreras, Orlando, Burrell, Stevenson; Connon, Schreuder; Davison, McGuigan, Mulipola, Peterson, Fuser, Farrar, Hardie, Chick.

Replacements: Blamire, Brocklebank, Tampin, Barry, Collett, Young, Matavesi, Tait.

Referee: Andrew Jackson (RFU).

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