Gloucester 16 - Sale Sharks 22: Forsyth is the key to Sale’s win
MARK CUETO and Andy Forsyth went over as Sale saw off a lacklustre Gloucester to begin the season with a bang.
The tries, plus penalties from fly-half Nick MacLeod and full-back Tom Arscott, helped seal Sharks’ victory.
Replacement Joe Ford added a drop goal towards the end, meaning three penalties from outside-half Freddie Burns and a second-half try from centre Henry Trinder were good enough only for a Gloucester losing bonus point for finishing within seven points of their victors.
Gloucester may feel aggrieved by two controversial decisions.
After former England star Cueto glided past the home defence on 13 minutes referee Andrew Small called on the TV official to have a look at the lead-up, with replays showing a pass to the wing may have gone marginally forward.
Then Forsyth chased Cueto’s nutmeg through the legs of James Simpson-Daniel to score – to howls of derision from the Kingsholm faithful who thought he had run on to the ball from an offside position.