Jackson on form in Saracens win

A fourth successive defeat would have left them with a big gap to close but Saracens opened up a 21-0 lead and then resisted Sale's second-half rally to GO level on points with the north-west side.

Forwards Ben Skirving and Cencus Johnston scored the first-half tries which put the home side in the driving seat and fly-half Glen Jackson moved to the top of the Premiership scoring chart with a 14-point contribution as he landed five kicks from six attempts.

Sale replied with tries from Sebastien Chabal and Oriol Ripol, with former New Zealand international Luke McAlister, who switched from centre to fly-half in the absence of Hodgson, kicking two conversions and two penalties.

Jackson opened the scoring after 14 minutes after Sale were caught offside but was fortunate not to concede a try when Sharks scrum-half Sililo Martens charged down his clearance kick.

Saracens celebrated their escape when number eight Skirving ran 45 metres through the middle for a try when he snatched up the ball after visiting winger Julien Laharrague spilled a pass.

Jackson landed two more penalties and was also on target with the conversion after Johnston, the heavyweight Samoan prop, scored a try worthy of a winger, stepping inside three Sale players near the right-hand touchline before powering his way to the line.

Sale opened their account in the final minute of the first half when Chabal, the number eight overlooked by France for this season's Six Nations, forced his way over from close range and McAlister converted.

The visitors showed a marked improvement in the second half and McAlister kicked two penalties to reduce the deficit to 21-13 before Jackson kicked his fourth penalty for the home side.

Sale ensured an anxious final few minutes for Saracens when McAlister measured his low through kick perfectly to provide a 76th-minute try in the right-hand corner for Spanish winger Ripol before adding the conversion, but they were unable to find their way through again.