SALE Sharks academy transition coach Neil Briggs has called on rugby chiefs for clarity over the purpose of the Premiership Cup.

Briggs raised questions about the new competition, replacing the Anglo-Welsh Cup, after his young side lost 35-3 to a full-strength Worcester Warriors team at Sixways last Friday.

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Wales wing Josh Adams, South Africa scrum-half Francois Hougaard and Scotland fly-half Duncan Weir all returned to face a Sharks side that featured a number of debutants.

Briggs was surprised by Warriors’ team selection and said Sale could have brought their first team if they had known it was not a “development competition”.

“This was a win for us,” Briggs said.

“The average age of our team was 19 years old and we played against a side that put 50 points on another Premiership first team three weeks ago.

“We put them under pressure in parts of the game and nearly had them at points.

“It was a really good learning experience for us and we have taken a lot from that.

“That said I would ask the question to the people that run the competition and the union what is the Premiership Cup about?

“Is it a development or first-team competition?

“As a club we take this as a development competition so we will play our young lads from the senior academy and some from the under 18s that step up.

“We will use it for them to gain experience in a big crowd and big stadium. We think that’s the right way to do things. That’s the way we run our club.

“But we need direction from above about what this competition is about.”

Adams, Hougaard and Francois Venter crossed the whitewash to give the hosts a 21-3 lead at half-time before Pierce Phillips and Matti Williams went over to seal a fourth straight win for Worcester.

Briggs felt Warriors’ “physicality” was the difference on the night but he was “really proud” of his players’ efforts.

“It was a fantastic result,” Briggs continued.

“The lads have got the music on (in the changing room) and are happy.

“They got to see their family after representing Sharks for the first time which is a massive honour for a lot of them.”

Warriors boss Alan Solomons said he had no direction from rugby chiefs either but staunchly defended his selection policy.

“We feel that we have got sufficient depth in our squad to be competitive in the various competitions,” Solomons said.

“We need to rotate our players in the interest of player welfare and to see them get the best results. We have done exactly that.

“Every team has got to prepare in the way they wish to prepare.

“We did a rotation at the end of the block of six Premiership games where most of our players had played at least five of those, some even six.

“They needed a break and were given one.

“Our other players then stepped up for the European Challenge Cup whereas Sale played their players right through so clearly they needed a rest at this point.”

When the format of the cup was announced in May Premiership chief executive Mark McCafferty said the focus on introducing “new playing and coaching talent” would remain in this season’s competition.

“The pathway for young players is now clear linking the under 18s league, A League and now the Premiership Rugby Cup into one strong route towards Gallagher Premiership Rugby, European competitions and Test matches,” McCafferty said.