Hat-trick hero Foden inspires Sale to rout

BEN FODEN proved an inspired deputy for England wing Mark Cueto with a clinical hat-trick as Sale kick-started their Heineken Cup campaign with a bonus-point victory against Italian minnows Calvisano.

The 21-year-old scrum-half was handed his chance on the right flank due to Cueto nursing an ankle knock and made the most of the opportunity.

The academy product claimed a neat first-half brace and his hat-trick score in the 54th minute handed the Sharks their fourth try and secured a potentially priceless bonus point.

Five further second-half tries confirmed Sale’s dominance and went a long way towards erasing the pain of last week’s agonising 17-16 injury-time loss to the Ospreys in their Pool Three opener.

Suddenly the Sharks’ prospects seem a lot healthier ahead of their crucial double-header against Stade Francais in December.

Dean Schofield bagged the opening try, while Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, Chris Bell, Sebastien Chabal, Jason Robinson and Chris Mayor all crossed the line in the second half.