Sale Sharks continue strong start to 2016 with demolition of London Irish

Sale maintained their perfect start to 2016 with a bonus-point 38-10 victory over Aviva Premiership strugglers London Irish, as the Sharks recorded their sixth win in seven games.

Steve Diamond's side dominated proceedings on their return to Premiership action with winger Nev Edwards bagging a brace of tries and Brian Mujati, TJ Ioane, Sam James and Sam Tuitupou also finding their way onto the scoresheet.

The victory extended a fine run of form for the Sharks that has seen them unbeaten since the turn of the year.

But for second-bottom Irish the manner of their defeat served as a sobering reality check after a recent upturn in form.

Fly-half Shane Geraghty opened proceedings for Irish with a second-minute penalty but it was Sale who then seized the initiative despite playing into the teeth of a ferocious gale with freezing sleet also buffeting the AJ Bell Stadium.

Within three minutes Diamond's side had breached the visitors' defence with former South Africa prop Mujati driving over from close range after a sustained period of Sale pressure.

And Sale almost struck again moments later only for full-back Mike Haley to spill the ball as he attempted to crash over the line.

But the Sharks did not have to wait too long for their second try as on 20 minutes Samoan flanker Ioane rounded off a series of forwards moves by breaching the Exiles' defensive line, fly-half Danny Cipriani adding the conversion to take Sale's lead to 12-3.

However Irish were to weather the early Sale storm and should have scored their first try after 30 minutes when lock Will Lloyd split a gap in the hosts' back line only to knock the ball on as he slid over the line.

But they did finally score three minutes from half time when, after a series of five-metre scrums, referee Greg Garner awarded Irish a penalty try, Geraghty's conversion ensuring that Irish went in at the break only narrowly down 12-10.

Sale though responded in emphatic fashion just two minutes after the restart. Former New Zealand centre Tuitupou made a powerful break and his offload found his midfield partner James who gratefully touched down with Cipriani's converting.

And the Sharks struck again after 55 minutes to wrap up a bonus-point clinching fourth try when James and Ioane combined to carve open an overlap for winger Edwards who ran in uncontested under the posts, Cipriani again adding the extras put Sale 26-10 to the good.

And the one-way traffic continued just after the hour in almost similar fashion when James again spotted a gap in the Irish midfield to feed Edwards for his second and Sale's fifth score of the day.

A miserable afternoon for the Exiles concluded on 69 minutes when Tuitupou recorded Sale's sixth try of the day, replacement fly-half Joe Ford slotting over the conversion to wrap up a comprehensive victory that sees the Sharks move up to 7th.