Harlequins beat Sale Sharks on Premiership return as Marcus Smith kicks 11 points in below-par clash

Harlequins defeated Sale Sharks as Premiership rugby returned following a five-month hiatus at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday night.

The hosts handed a debut to ex-England wing Chris Ashton against his former club - who themselves gave Manu Tuilagi a first start following his exit from Leicester Tigers - as Wales hooker Scott Baldwin's second-half try and 11 points from the boot of fly-half Marcus Smith secured a scrappy 16-10 win.

The triumph moved Harlequins up to sixth in the table, while second-placed Sale missed the chance to put pressure on leaders Exeter Chiefs, who return to action at home to Leicester at Sandy Park on Saturday afternoon.

Quins were rarely out of control, pierced only by Byron McGuigan's try as Sale exited half-time with a purpose that then deserted them.

It was a low-quality return to action for the competition, marred by 29 penalties and resembling a pre-season game.

The rivals showed their support for the Black Lives Matter movement in different ways, Sale's players wearing white T-shirts emblazoned with 'Rugby against Racism' while Quins took a knee as part of a circle.

Four of the Sharks also took a knee after the clubs were given free rein to mark the fight against racism in the way they saw fit.

For all the expectations of Sale's renewed challenge for the Premiership title, it was Quins who made the brighter start and within 20 minutes they had built a lead through two Smith penalties.

They were sharper in all respects, profiting from time on the ball and falling on the right side of referee Luke Pearce's whistle on a warm night in south-west London.

Time and again Sale's shoots of recovery came to an abrupt halt, the occasional individual breaking a tackle failing to make amends for their disjointed play and leaden-footed toil.

Joe Marchant raced downfield and was supported by Mike Brown as Quins staged a quick-witted attack before wing Nathan Earle grabbed a loose kick to weave a path into space.

Smith's third penalty extended the lead, while Sale fly-half Robert du Preez could only pull a simple chance wide of the right post.

England prop Joe Marler was reprimanded by Pearce for his trademark sledging, the official warning "enough commentary Joe, it's winding people up", and Sale took their revenge early in the second half.

An attacking line-out saw Tuilagi act as a decoy and, with acres of space created on the right, wing McGuigan completed a routine finish. But the comeback was stopped in its tracks in the 57th minute when an ill-advised crossfield kick by Du Preez, taken close to his own whitewash, was picked off by Brown.

A line-out drive later and Baldwin was over, with Smith adding the conversion. Replacement AJ MacGinty landed a penalty to give Sale hope, but Quins held out with determination.

Additional reporting by the Press Association.

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Harlequins squad take a knee ahead of Sale clash to show BLM support