What a difference a year makes. During the autumn internationals in 2004 Sale dropped from the top of the Premiership table at a rate of knots. This year, two matches in and the Sharks have increased their lead at the top.

Friday night looked set to be a horror. There were gale force winds, rumours of a flooded pitch and the mighty Warriors pack rushing towards Edgeley. In the end we were fortunate with the weather, and tough with Worcester.

The first half started as a quiet affair. Larrachea's penalty was cancelled out by a Drahm drop goal for Worcester. Things could have been different, with Larrachaea missing a further three, admittedly tough penalties. Finally, with only a few minutes remaining in the half, things began to get going. Worcester lost their flanker Tuamoheloa to the sin bin. Courrent kicked the penalty and Sale went ahead. With one man down Worcester were unable to hold off a classic Shark attack. The ball went wide to Jason Robinson who twinkled across the line for a try, converted by Courrent.

Things were definitely looking up. With only a few seconds on the clock before half time the scores looked a healthy 13-3, and the home fans were beginning to sit more easily in their seats. The whistle came.

The rest did not last long however, as the Warriors came out ablaze and the Worcester fly-half upped his points tally by running over for a classy try which he also converted. but 13-10 looked far more dangerous. The Sharks took note.

Robinson mirrored his first half effort with a superb try in typically crowd-pleasing style- 18-10. The two fly-halves then exchanged penalties. But it was local hero Jason Robinson who sealed the victory with a moral crushing drop goal to put the Sharks out of reach.

All in all a splendid victory in what could have been a dreary, error strewn wet match.

The Sharks are still at the top of the table. Lets see what the Tigers can bring.