Chris Ashton boosted his England chances with a debut hat-trick as Sale thumped Connacht 34-13 in the Challenge Cup. The 31-year-old's Sale debut was delayed by a seven-week ban for a tip tackle picked up in pre-season. But, when he finally took to the field for the Sharks in Salford, he quickly made up for lost time. Hooker Shane Delahunt crossed for Connacht, with Conor Fitzgerald posting a conversion and two penalties, but the Westerners were well-beaten. Josh Beaumont added a score of his own to ensure Sale secured the winning bonus-point to stay top of Pool Three after two rounds.

Source: Irish Examiner October 20, 2018 16:52 UTC