Phil Davies’ side had trailed 17-3 halfway through the first half of this pre-season friendly but three penalties from Gareth Davies meant they were in touch at the break.
The second half saw numerous changes but with Tom Williams, Lloyd Williams and Owen Williams all given a chance to impress by Davies, they took their opportunity with aplomb.
All three crossed the try line, Owen Williams with two, as the Blues roared back into the game.
Wales fly half Rhys Patchell was the difference, guiding his side forward with a superb individual performance at number 10.
The young pivot added a superb long range drop goal to extend the lead, rendering Sale’s two first half tries irrelevant.
Henry Thomas and Sam James had been their scorers with Nicholas Macleod adding two conversions and a penalty.
And although former Wales scrum half Dwayne Peel made it three tries apiece with just under 10 minutes left, the Blues held on with Dafydd Hewitt and Owen Williams adding late scores.
It was a successful night for the Blues but it was Sale who were ahead with just minutes on the clock.
A kick to the corner earned the English side territory from which they drove the Blues back to take the lead. Prop Thomas emerged from the bottom of the maul to claim the score, Macleod adding the conversion for a 7-0 advantage.
Davies then exchanged penalties with Macleod but after a quarter of an hour, Sale were deserved leaders – the Aviva Premiership team dominating territory and seeing most of the ball to boot.
Davies had a chance to narrow the Blues’ deficit but after his long range penalty effort went wide, Sale then struck for a second time. Skipper David Seymour created the try, breaking clear down the right hand touchline. The flanker was stopped short of the line but when the ball was spread back left, James was left with an easy finish. Macleod again added the extra two to continue his 100 per cent record from the tee.
At 17-3 down, the Blues had seen little of the ball but were then given a lifeline. A loose ball was hacked on by Dan Fish and as the Blues winger chased his own kick, he was taken out off the ball by Mark Cueto.
The former England winger was unsurprisingly yellow carded but with Sale down to 14, the Blues struggled to make the most of their numerical advantage. Harry Robinson and Chris Czekaj were seeing little of the ball but although the Sale try line remained intact, two further Davies penalties narrowed the deficit going into the interval.
Davies made a raft of changes at half time, Wales internationals Lloyd Williams, Patchell and Owen Williams just three of the new faces to come on. And they seemed to make an immediate difference, the Blues soon crossing for their first try of the day. Replacement full back Tom Williams did the damage, Patchell converting to narrow the deficit to a single point.
The injection of fresh legs was clearly helping the Blues, Patchell and Lloyd Williams guiding their team forward from halfback. And it was the Wales scrum half who then put the Blues into the lead for the first time, darting over close to the posts for Patchell to convert.
The Blues were now playing with confidence, camping themselves in the Sale half. And it wasn’t long before a third try arrived, Owen Williams given a clear run to the line by a non-existent Sale defence. The score came from a scrum just outside the Sale 22, Robin Copeland popping the ball up for the Wales centre to cross with ease. Patchell converted to complete a remarkable turnaround.
Patchell was now bossing the game, showing the sort of game-management more akin to international rugby.
He then added a snap drop goal from the halfway line and although Peel crossed for Sale’s third, Hewitt’s score and a second from Owen Williams wrapped up what was ultimately a deserved win.
