Sale Sharks narrowly defeated Harlequins 12-11 in a gritty Premiership opener at the Salford Community Stadium. England fly-half George Ford was pivotal, kicking four penalties to secure all of Sale's points. Harlequins' Jack Walker scored the only try of the match, with Leigh Halfpenny contributing two penalties. Despite challenging wet conditions and handling errors, both teams showed resilience, but Ford's accuracy from the boot ultimately made the difference. The match saw notable debuts, including Fiji skipper Waisea Nayacalevu for Sale and new Harlequins recruits Titi Lamositele and Halfpenny. Marcus Smith and Danny Care's second-half introductions for Harlequins couldn't change the outcome as Sale held on for a hard-fought victory.