Premiership: Saracens 25-14 Sale - 14-man Sharks beaten as hosts go second

Vincent Koch's 18th-minute pushover effort was the only try of the first half at StoneX Stadium

Saracens went second in the Premiership with a home win against Sale Sharks.

Sale's Ben Curry and Raffi Quirke went over as the sides shared four second-half tries, but the Sharks never got within range of a losing bonus point.

Scot Sean Maitland and England's Max Malins got Sarries' other two tries.

Aside from heated Scotland winger McGuigan's 46th-minute red card for striking Wales centre Nick Tompkins, then throwing him to the ground, Sale had already been disrupted by the first-half loss of skipper Jono Ross, who did not return to the field after a 22nd-minute head injury assessment.

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But Sarries - and England - were more concerned by the role played by fit-again loose forward Billy Vunipola, who marked his return from injury by playing a part in the hosts' second try.

The big number eight showed no ill-effects from the knee injury that kept him out for four weeks as he dummied before sending a long, floated pass which got Scotland winger Maitland over in the right corner.

At 18-0 down, although there was no realistic way back for Sale, they did cross in the 62nd minute when Curry darted over - and AJ MacGinty added the extras.

But that revival was quickly snuffed out when Alex Goode produced a clever reverse pass to send England flier Malins over.

Scrum-half Quirke, back to club action after earning his first two caps for England and scoring the winning try against South Africa, replied for a second time - and MacGinty kicked that one too. But that was as close as the visitors got.

Saracens will be back in Premiership action at Exeter on Saturday as they meet their main title rivals of recent years for the first time since returning to the top flight.

But it is Sale's turn for a week off - and, for McGuigan, there may be further weeks off to follow.

Saracens: Malins; Maitland, Lozowski, Tompkins, Segun; Goode (co-capt), Davies; Mako Vunipola, Lewis, Koch, Itoje, Swinson, Isiekwe, Wray (co-capt), B Vunipola,

Replacements: Pifeleti, Barrington, Clarey, McFarland, Earl, Van Zyl, Morris, Lewington.

Sale: Hammersley; McGuigan, S James, van Rensburg, Roebuck; MacGinty, Quirke; Rodd, Van der Merwe, Schonert, JL Du Preez, De Jager, Ross (capt), B Curry, D Du Preez.

Replacements: Ashman, Harrison, Oosthuizen, JP Du Preez, T Curry, Warr, R Du Preez, L James.

Sent off: McGuigan (46).

Referee: Thomas Foley (RFU).

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