Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby: Sale Sharks problems deepen after 10th straight defeat to Loughborough Lightning

Sale Sharks remain marooned in the bottom spot of the Allianz Premiership Women's Rugby table after a heavy defeat at the hands of Loughborough Lightning.

The hosts ran home six tries at Franklin's Gardens in registering a comfortable 38-15 victory.

It keeps them sitting firmly in mid-table, but the same cannot be said of their opponents, who have now lost 10 successive fixtures, a run dating back to November.

Nathan Smith's side, who had suffered back-to-back defeats, took only four minutes to race ahead, opening the scoring through Daisy Hibbert-Jones.

The England international then had a hand in Lightning's second, powerfully pushing forward before Rachel Malcolm's try.

Sharks captain Georgie Perris-Redding pulled one back, but hooker Kathryn Treder restored the advantage, as the hosts led 21-5 at the break.

Sadia Kabeya and Lilli Ives Campion stretched the lead after half-time, and although Niamh Swailes and Catie Benson both crossed the whitewash for the visitors, they proved to be nothing more than consolation tries.

Indeed, Loughborough would rub salt into the wounds in the 79th minute when Carys Williams-Morris made it 38-15, although Helena Rowland missed what would have been her fifth conversion of the match.

The result leaves Sale with just three points from their 12 games, thanks to 11 defeats and one victory.

Lightning, on the other hand, have registered six wins and five losses, so sit in fifth place.

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