England fly-half Charlie Hodgson produced the ideal response to last Sunday's Twickenham nightmare by guiding Sale Sharks to a relatively comfortable win over Leeds Tykes in the Zurich Premiership.
Hodgson turned in a composed display which included three penalties, a conversion and a dropped goal, as Sale secured their third consecutive Premiership win.
In a game littered with handling errors and some bizarre decision making, Hodgson stood out like a beacon, directing affairs with a cool authority.
And although the game was played out in front of just over 7,500 in the cosy surroundings of Edgeley Park - rather than 75,000 for England against France at Twickenham - Hodgson has at least taken the first steps on the road to redemption.
The 24-year-old could scarcely have asked for an easier first shot at goal, as Leeds encroached in front of the posts just 15 metres out. The fly-half duly slotted the penalty to make it 3-0 to the Sharks.
His next effort was altogether more difficult, but he struck a sweet kick from the right hand touchline to make it 6-0.
The first time either side managed to string a sequence of passes together resulted in the first points of the night for Leeds.
Former England winger Phil Christophers - playing in the centre for Leeds - made a powerful break through the Sale defence and the ball was taken on by Richard Parks.
Sale's backs crept offside from the resulting ruck and Gordon Ross kicked the ensuing penalty.
Sale responded immediately, courtesy of a mix-up between Tim Stimpson and Parks from the re-start.
The ball was worked to Hodgson and he managed to achieve what he failed to at Twickenham last week and knocked over the simplest of dropped goals.
Sale should have scored the first try of the night 10 minutes into the second half after Hodgson struck a measured cross-field kick straight into the arms of his international colleague Mark Cueto.
But Cueto failed to spot the supporting Jason Robinson on his inside and the chance was lost.
Sale did not have to wait long though, as Hodgson fielded a stray Leeds clearance and made a jinking run back.
After a further surge by the Sale pack, the ball found its way into the hands of Andrew Sheridan and the prop burst through the middle of the ruck to gallop over the line from 15 metres out. Hodgson's conversion made it 16-3 to the Sharks.
Another Hodgson penalty in the 59th minute extended the Sharks' lead further, before Christophers side-stepped his way through for a late try for the Tykes.
Ross' conversion made the final score 19-10 to the Sharks, but in truth - thanks largely to Hodgson - the home side were more comfortable winners than the scoreline suggested.
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