Roebuck hat-trick sets up nine-try rout as Sale pile more misery on Newcastle

• Sale 57-5 Newcastle

• Alex Sanderson’s side 31-0 up at half-time with five tries

There will come a time to truly judge the credentials of a Sale side whose solitary title success came nearly 20 years ago, but Friday night was not it. Not against a Newcastle team who surrendered so meekly during the opening 40 minutes that this clash was anything but the feisty northern derby it had been billed.

Alex Sanderson’s side were 31-0 up and in total control at half-time after running in five tries, before adding another four after the break in front of a paltry 5,785 crowd. There will be far greater challenges for Sale. There has to be. It cannot always be this easy.

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