WARRIORS crashed to their eighth successive defeat of the Aviva Premiership season as they were out-muscled by Sale Sharks in Salford.

Former England fly-half Danny Cipriani prompted his side expertly to keep Worcester at arm’s length and the hosts ran in four tries to secure a comfortable victory.

The first-half was low on quality as both sides looked to eke out a lead, but it was the hosts who stepped up a gear after the break to crush the Sixways side’s resolve.

Warriors should have taken the lead when Sale went off-side, but Ignacio Mieres was unable to hit the target as Worcester’s poor goal-kicking proved costly again.

The TMO was called upon to rule out a potential Sharks try, but Warriors went down the other end and finally put together a few phases of attacking rugby and they were soon rewarded with another kickable penalty.

Mieres didn’t strike the ball sweetly, but it crept over to give Dean Ryan’s men the lead, before they suffered a big blow when Argentine international number eight Leo Senatore limped off to be replaced by Richard de Carpentier.

Chris Brooker scrambled back to win a vital turn-over as Sale burst into the visitors’ 22 and looked poised to score the night’s first try.

That opening score arrived minutes later, though, as Worcester went on the attack. However, it was the home side who were celebrating as Chris Pennell’s off-load was dropped by de Carpentier and Cipriani pounced.

The former England man showed silky handling to start the move, a class off-load to keep it going, but he had fortune on his side as his shanked cross-field kick fell kindly for Mark Cueto in acres of space for a simple run-in. The Sale fly-half added the conversion to give his side a 7-3 lead, which remained until the interval.

But, after the break, Warriors tired and Sale had it all their own way. A Warriors scrum splintered as Sale turned up the heat and the hosts flooded forward, catching Worcester off-side.

Impressive scrum-half Dwayne Peel took a quick tap, which saw the ball go wide at pace for James Gaskell to touch down. Cipriani landed the conversion to make it 14-3 and the third score followed shortly afterwards.

Alex Grove’s poor attempt to kick the ball through was blocked, Sale surged forwards and Warriors were penalised. The penalty went to touch in the corner and captain Dan Braid was able to peel off the rolling maul and dive over. Cipriani expertly converted from the touchline.

Worcester grabbed a consolation try late on when loosehead prop Ofa Fainga’anuku went over from a catch-and-drive, with Pennell taking over kicking duties and adding the conversion, but it was too little, too late for Ryan’s strugglers.

To rub salt in Worcester’s wounds, ex-Warriors Tom Arscott went over in the dying minutes to ensure his side took maximum points.