Tom Roebuck hat-trick sets up demolition as Sale pile further misery on Newcastle

• Sale 57-5 Newcastle

• Alex Sanderson's side 31-0 up at half-time

There will come a time to truly judge the credentials of a Sale side whose solitary title success came nearly 20 years ago, but Friday night was not it. Not when they came up against a Newcastle side who surrendered so meekly during the opening 40 ­minutes that it did not feel like a meaningful contest.

Alex Sanderson's team were 31-0 up and in total control at half-time after running in five tries in what was ­supposed to be a feisty ­northern derby yet, in reality, was anything but. There will be far greater ­challenges for Sale. There has to be. It cannot always be this easy.