Sale regained the lead through a converted Huw Davies effort, and with both the flanker and Adu doubling their tallies, the Dogs took control before a Robins penalty on 78 minutes further closed the game out.

Rosslyn Park beat Cinderford 46-26 in a 10-try cracker at The Rock.

The Foresters took an early lead through George Boulton, but Craig Holland then converted tries by Luke Baldwin, new captain Dan Laventure and Charlie Walker for 21-5.

Reece Boughton added the extras after Aaron Ryan went over to reduce the deficit to nine at the interval and after Holland’s penalty, Cindy grabbed a third try as Tim Andrew touched down.

Boughton’s conversion meant it was 24-21, but 10 more points from Holland – a try, conversion and penalty – put the hosts back in front.

A penalty try gave the visitors a losing bonus point, but two quick-fire tries from Tom Stanton and Ben Howard, the latter added to by Holland, gave Park a perfect start.

Cambridge repelled a brave comeback bid from visitors Plymouth Albion as they triumphed 34-28.

The Blood & Sand made a dream start as tries from Kieran Frost, ex-Ram Steffan James and Joe Green, added to be two James conversions and a penalty, gave them a 22-0 lead inside 16 minutes.

Plymouth hit back before the break as Alex Ducker and Harry Wilkinson crossed the whitewash, Tom Putt with a couple of conversions for 22-14.

Things got even better for the Devonians as Frankie Nowell went over early in the second period, Putt on target to make it a one-point game.

But Cambridge regrouped and Kwaku Asiedu and Willie Priestley touched down, James with the extras to the second, meaning Putt’s conversion of Jack Oulton’s last-minute score only secured Plymouth two match points.

Darlington Mowden Park began their campaign with a hard-fought 23-16 home win against Chinnor.

The hosts made a dream start as Matt Minogue added the extras to a third-minute score from Liam Checksfield, Morgan Passman also crossing soon after.

Will Kelly kicked a penalty and then converted a Jason Worrall effort, but Minogue’s three-pointer made it 15-10 at the break.

Kelly cut the gap with a penalty, but a Ben Frankland try and another Minogue penalty gave DMP control before Kelly’s last-play kick salvaged a losing bonus-point for Chinnor.

A late Connor Baker try helped Taunton Titans snatch a dramatic 28-24 bonus-point victory at Leeds Tykes.

The hosts built up a 14-0 advantage as Charlie Venables converted an Adam Brown try and one of his own, but the scores were level at half-time after Taunton grabbed a penalty try and Jordan Gott added the extras after Charlie Wright touched down.

Converted tries from Brett Harvey and Leeds’ Tom Williams meant it was 21-21 until a Venables penalty at the start of the final quarter nudged his side back in front, only for Gott to convert Baker’s effort with two minutes remaining.

Bishop’s Stortford were the biggest winners on the opening day as they defeated newly-promoted visitors Hull 44-20.

The northerners made a splendid start to life in Level Three as Joe Carlisle kicked a first-minute penalty, and after Charlie Parkhouse crossed for Stortford, Carlisle grabbed his side’s first try.

Yet the home side took control before the break with a penalty try, a Dan Cole kick and a Will Roberts effort added to be Cole.

Trailing 22-8 at the interval, Hull cut the deficit as Harvey Harding touched down, but Bishop’s reasserted themselves as Cole converted a James Thacker try before Jake Morris bagged a brace.

Hull never gave up and Reece Dean added the extras to a Will Hall effort, only for Stortford to have the last word as Josh Stannard collected his side’s sixth try.

Rams, meanwhile, began their campaign with an entertaining 38-21 home win against Esher.