Sharks up and running

Sale Sharks scored a 67-11 bonus-point Heineken Cup victory against Calvisano.

Sale Sharks have finally got their Heineken Cup campaign up and running with a comprehensive 67-11 bonus-point victory over Italian minnows Calvisano.

Ben Foden (pictured) proved a more-than-able stand-in for Mark Cueto - the England winger nursing an ankle knock - the scrum-half adapting to the right flank and flourishing with a hat-trick of tries.

The English champions scored nine tries in all, with Foden's 54th minute hat-trick score being followed by six further second-half tries.

After their opening, agonising, loss to the Ospreys last week, Sale's future in the competition now appears a whole lot brighter ahead of their double header against Stade Francais in December.

Sale opened the scoring in the fourth minute courtesy of a Charlie Hodgson penalty from 45 metres, with the England fly-half doubling the Sharks' lead with another successful effort 10 minutes later.

With tensions in the Edgeley Park crowd now eased, Sale started to apply pressure with the strength of their pack allowing Dean Schofield to score the opening try on 17 minutes.

Hodgson converted and Sale's play moved up a level as delightful handling from the number 10 and stand-in full-back Daniel Larrechea allowed Foden to cross for his first.

With Hodgson again booting the extras, Foden's brace was completed from close range just past the half-hour - the conversion this time hitting the post.

However the traffic was not all one way, and despite having centre James Downey sin-binned, Calvisano generated points of their own on the stroke of half-time.

Roland De Marigny was responsible, the winger kicking a penalty before taking advantage of slack marking to score under the posts.

The same player added another penalty early in the second half but, with the visitors starting to labour, the Sharks could obviously smell the scent of blood.

With Foden completing his own tally, the fifth and sixth tries were scored by the returning Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe and Chris Bell.

Sebastien Chabal, Jason Robinson - who started on the bench - and Chris Mayor also scored, with Hodgson converting all six second-half tries to complete the rout.