The depleted West Wales region were without in excess of 30 players because of international calls, injuries and key men being rested, while the experienced Sharks side featured All Black Dan Braid, Johnny Leota, Sam Tuitupou and Nathan Hines.
Sale scored three tries either side of half-time. Wing Tom Arscott bagged a brace of tries, but the Scarlets could only notch nine points fro the boot of outside-half Frazier Climo.
The Scarlets got off to a nightmare start as Sale went over inside the opening five minutes through Braid after a close-range line-out.
But Wayne Pivac’s men responded strongly as No. 8 Rory Pitman and full-back Kristian Phillips made inroads, but a Climo penalty was all they had to show for their endeavour.
Instead, the Sharks started to take control. The experienced Tuitupou and Leota combined in midfield to punch a hole in the Scarlets defence which created the space out wide to allow full-back Mike Haley to go over in the corner.
The Scarlets could have claimed a try of their own just before half-time but wing Aaron Warren was denied by a last-ditch tackle and it was the hosts who were celebrating a third try thanks to a length-of-the-field counter-attack finished off brilliantly by Arscott. Sale continued to dominate in the second half with their scrum a major weapon.
Ascott claimed his second and his side’s fourth and as the Scarlets looked to limit the damage, the Sharks added two further tries through wing Tom Brady, on his 100th appearance, and replacement Viliami Fihaki.
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