Sale Sharks navigated a game effort from Exeter Chiefs and horrendous pre-Christmas conditions to move into fourth place and extend the ­visitors’ winless start to the season in the process.

Both these sides needed victory here for very different reasons. Sale’s playoff hopes approached a decisive juncture after a sluggish start to the campaign while Exeter were arguably in even more need of points and some semblance of hope to cling onto as Christmas approaches. But in the end, it was Alex Sanderson’s side who prevailed.

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