Sale sunk by away-day Blues

Richard Mustoe scored a 71st minute try to hand Cardiff victory away to Sale in Saturday's EDF Energy Anglo-Welsh Cup Group B opener.

The substitute crossed in the left-hand corner to give the Magners League outfit a 18-17 victory, although the Guinness Premiership side at least had the consolation of a losing bonus-point.

Not one of the players who lined up for Sale in their mid-week 28-6 loss to London Irish were retained for this game as director of rugby Philippe Saint-Andre used the match as an opportunity to rest his established stars amid a gruelling schedule.

He instead fielded a team of fringe players, with seven of Sale's starting XV given their first taste of first-team action this season.

Among these players was former Cardiff utility-back Nick Macleod, who lined up to make his debut at full-back against his former club.

Fine debut

It was a fine debut - he hit four penalties which looked to have sealed the win before Mustoe's late score.

He opened the scoring in only the second minute with a well-struck penalty from 40 metres to put the Sharks ahead.

His opposite number Ben Blair then spurned the chance to draw Cardiff level moments later when he skewed a penalty wide, but Macleod did likewise in the 10th minute as both sides initially struggled to find any rhythm.

But Cardiff then cut Sale to pieces in the 12th minute thanks to a piece of individual skill from Richie Rees.

The scrum-half collected possession on the right-hand side of the pitch around 40 metres from the visitors' line, advanced forward at pace and sold two Sale players a delightful dummy, giving him the space to sprint forward and send the supporting Leigh Halfpenny over the line with a clever underarm offload.

Halfpenny gave his side the best possible chance of the additional two points by touching down under the posts, and Blair duly obliged with the boot to put the Blues 7-3 ahead.

Equal quality

Sale needed only three minutes to find a score of equal quality as stand-in scrum-half Chris Leck's long offload found Spaniard Oriol Ripol lurking on the left flank.

He raced forward and played a neat one-two with Richard Wigglesworth before a neat, short offload sent Rudi Keil over the line from close range.

Macleod failed to convert and then both and he Blair missed penalties as the blustery conditions made kicking duties difficult.

Both men did, however, claim penalties before the interval to ensure Sale went in at the break with a slender 11-10 advantage, but a man down for a short period either side of the break after Marc Jones was sent to the sin-bin.

Another Macleod penalty edged Sale further ahead after the break but Ceri Sweeney added a penalty for Cardiff to keep the gap to one point.

Macleod's fourth kick looked to have sealed it for the hosts but it was Cardiff who clinched the win when Mustoe finished off a fine, flowing move in the left-hand corner.

In the other Group B game, Leicester Tigers beat Bath 19-15 away.