RAMS produced one of their best performances of recent times to overcome Sale 33-0 on a sensational afternoon at Old Bath Road.

On a warm day following thundery showers, the game was pushed back to a 4pm kick-off following some travel disruption for the away side, the opening 15 minutes proving a cagey affair with both sides kicking long in a bid to dominate territory.

There were a couple of close-range line-out chances for both teams, but the first significant action saw Sale wing Tom Walsh sin-binned for a high tackle on Axel Kalling-Smith.

The hosts – who had lost their past six games with Sale – were unable to make their numerical advantage count, but they did hit the front on 34 minutes as man-of-the-match Fraser Honey put in a pin-point cross-field kick for first-time starter Luke Graham to collect, side-step Tom Brady and open the scoring.

Fly-half Honey slotted the extras, and Rams then made a dream start to the second period as Tomek Pozniak made it three tries in as many games with a brilliant interception, the Polish international racing under the posts from 60 metres out.

Things got better with a second try in three minutes as the ball was shipped down the line for full back Zach Clow to eventually dive over on the left.

A stunning touch-line conversion gave the majority of the crowd the belief the 1,749-day wait for victory against Sale could be ended, and the visitors then suffered a second yellow card as prop Ciaran Parker was sin-binned for illegally pulling down a maul.

From the resultant attack, Rams used the set-piece to perfection, enabling captain Max Hayman to ride over for his sixth score of the season.

Honey landed another cracking kick from in front of Clubhouse Corner, and the hosts continued to restrict their rivals with suffocating pressure.

The icing was added to the proverbial cake as No. 8 Robbie Stapley burrowed over for his 100th first-team try, Sale picking up a third yellow card to Nick Gray, Dan Swain then Rams’ first before his side held out some late pressure to complete the job.

Star man Honey said: “I’m super proud because that is a hell of a result.

“The discipline to stick to the gameplan was unbelievable and to nil a team of Sale’s quality is very special.

“We’ve had some titanic battles over the last few years so it’s nice to get the win.”

Final Score: Rams 33-0 Sale (HT 7-0)

Scorers

Rams

Tries: Graham 34 Pozniak 41 Clow 44 Hayman 54 R Stapley 64

Conversions: Honey 35, 42, 45, 55

Star Man: Fraser Honey (Rams)

Referee: Jamie Parr

Attendance: 905

Rams

(15-9, 1-8) Clow, Graham, Kalling-Smith, Grundy, Pozniak, Honey, Hoadley; Marris, Hayman ©, Bishop, Dacres, Swain, McRae, Vooght, R Stapley

Replacements: Harris, Baker, MacRae, Humberstone, Cole

Sale

(15-9, 1-8) Brady, Dixon, Roberts, Robins, Walsh, Mulchrone, Green; Carlile, Stagg, Parker, Gray, Vickers, Riley, Booth, Hughes ©

Replacements: Brown, Pope, Ford, Priestley-Nangle, Hunt