And we made the worst possible start to this most crucial of seasons as Mathew Tait made a quick return to Kingston Park to help Sale win a competitive match there for the first time.  A bonus point from the 9-14 defeat is obviously better than nothing, but not enough from what on paper was a very winnable game.

Our forwards probably performed well enough, particularly in the first half when Andy Long, Brent Wilson and Phil Dowson probably made made more metres than our pack did in half of last season, but the backs looked predictable and, to be frank, utterly clueless at times.

At half time when someone mentioned Jamie Noon I had honestly forgotten he was even on the pitch, and for me Alex Tait was the only back to come out of the game with any credit.

Former England fly-half Charlie Hodgson opened the scoring after a quarter of an hour, meandering around to the left through a number of defenders before touching down for what would turn out to be the only try of the game.  A penalty soon extended Sale's lead.

Our first real chance came from a big run from Wilson into the 22, Tom May's left foot sending a desperate drop goal attempt wide when it wasn't on at all.  Did we have an advantage that I hadn't seen?  No, it was Sale's ball.

Debutant fly-half Rory Clegg sent a big kick over to the right for May, Mathew Tait marking the ball as we received an advantage back on the other side, and though the 18-year-old missed his own drop goal shot before scoring his first Premiership points with a penalty.

Just before the half hour, 'Prince Harry' (the resemblance is indeed striking) kicked his second penalty in off the post, but Sale soon replied in kind with a penalty of their own.  Only two try-scoring tackles prevented the Sharks having a bigger lead at half time, and when we did put a decent attack together, Clegg's chip was marked easily.

Luke McAlister extended the Shark's lead to 6-14 with his third penalty after the break, as we struggled to look even remotely dangerous before Wilson's run into the 22 ended with him requiring temporarily replacing.

We moved into at least a bonus point-winning position with a successful drop goal from Clegg, which was good, but it was the first time we'd been close to Sale's line in the second half and we were kicking a goal after only a couple of phases.  Is confidence already so low that our players don't believe in themselves to score a try?

Probably, as a long range penalty was kicked or goal and went wide, when keeping possession and going for a try which would've put us level and possibly into the lead might have been the better option.

Especially as by this point we were playing against 14 men after Luke Abraham was sin-binned for a late hit on Clegg in front of our posts which had the South Stand howling for blood.

It didn't help though as Sale saw out their first win at KP.

So 2008/09 begins with a home defeat and a performance which shows that we will do little as long as the backs are so lacking in direction.  Clegg did OK for his first game, but his apparent inability to innovate but keep kicking to the wings when the Sale backs were lapping up the marks was alarming.

And if the reason we keep kicking and not chasing is indeed because someone like Mathew Tait will skin Brent Wilson all day, he's going to skin him even more easily with a 20-metre start!  That's one 'tactic' that hasn't changed from last season at least.

It's admirable for the club to think we are going to have a great season and prove a lot of critics wrong, but today suggested they are all correct, and it's a fact that although none of us know what is going to happen, we ARE real relegation candidates.

I for one am sick of hearing things like 'we are getting it right' or 'we are building for the future'.  Many more game like yesterday's and we may not have a future.

For God's sake get yourselves sorted and let's beat Northampton.  I don't care if it's by a single point with 30% possession and 20% territory, let's just get four points and a win on the board.  Give us some hope please!

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