England World Cup hero Jonny Wilkinson returned to action in Newcastle’s impressive 34-9 Anglo-Welsh Cup win over Sale on Sunday.
Wilkinson came off the bench after 54 minutes and made an immediate impact, sending Matthew Burke over for a try and controlling the game with his varied kicking.
The star fly-half, who has been dogged by injury since his World Cup campaign in 2003, had his appendix removed in August but has made a rapid recovery.
With 20-year-old fly-half Toby Flood and 19-year old winger Mathew Tait also turning in eye-catching performances, there was good reason for supporters to return home full of optimism.
Burke and Hall Charlton each went over for two tries for Newcastle but it was youngsters Tait and Flood who impressed most against an under-strength Sale.
In the same group three, Llanelli enjoyed a convincing 28-7 victory against Leeds.
Wing Tal Selley, centre Matthew Watkins and prop Iestyn Thomas all crossed the try line for the Welsh visitors, while outside-half Gareth Bowen contributed with 13 points from the boot.
In group two, Former England flyhalf Alex King came off the bench to clinch a 30-26 victory for Wasps with a 79th-minute drop goal.
King had been on the pitch for only six minutes when he made the most of his first touch of the ball by landing an opportunist left-footed match-winner from 35m.
His crucial kick, followed by an injury-time penalty from full-back Mark Van Gisbergen — who contributed 17 points — robbed Rikki Flutey and Topsy Ojo of a fairytale debut for the Irish.
It looked as though they had struck the telling blows when England under-21s winger Ojo touched down to level the score at 24-24 in the 71st minute, with Flutey adding the conversion to edge Irish 26-24 ahead. But Wasps hit back to have the final say. – Sapa-AFP