St Helens coach Ian Millward said watching rugby union was "a waste of money" after seeing his side lose 41-39 to Sale in Monday's cross-code challenge.

Both teams ran in seven tries, but neither were able to score in the rival code.

And the outcome hinged on goalkicks, with Sale teenager Richard Wigglesworth managing three conversions to just two by Great Britain scrum-half Sean Long.

Saints had been given only a crash-course in the basics of the 15-man game by former Bath hooker Gary French.

How boring was that when you just get the ball and stick it up your jumper and walk down the field? Ian Millward St Helens coach

And they were unable to cope with Sale's driven line-outs and rolling mauls, which constantly had the home pack back-pedalling furiously.

The Sharks' traditional forward play was not appreciated by the 12,257 Knowsley Road crowd.

And Millward could not resist an after-match dig at the rival code.

"There were a lot of things we would have liked to have done in union but we didn't have the ball," he said.

"If we could have a long preparation we could be a very successful team in rugby union, but thankfully we play rugby league.

"How boring was that when you just get the ball and stick it up your jumper and walk down the field? There were a few times when I had to set my alarm clock.

Millward felt a draw would have been a fair result

"If I was down to my last �10, I would advise any family or friends - or even enemies - to go watch a league game because [watching union] would be an absolute waste of money."

Sale coach Jim Mallinder defended his side's tactics, claiming they were adapted specifically for the occasion.

"In a way we were a little a bit boring," he said.

"Driving line-outs and lots of mauling is not normally the way we play but we knew that it would create the most effect for us."

Mallinder might have added that Sale could have inflicted even more damage on their opponents had safety concerns not restricted them to only the gentlest of shoves in the scrum.

Millward, however, insisted that Saints' pride was not dented by the result and argued that, had Long been able to convert Jason Hooper's last-minute try, a 41-41 draw would have been a fair result.

He also claimed referee Karl Kirkpatrick blew for time four minutes early and stressed that the game was St Helens' first outing of the season.