Sharks devour battling Brive
Sale booked a semi-final date with either Bath or Leeds later this month after crushing Brive 49-24 in the European Challenge Cup.
Last Updated: 04/04/08 9:54pm
Sale booked a semi-final date with either Bath or Leeds later this month after crushing Brive 49-24 in their European Challenge Cup encounter on Friday night.
The Sharks ran-in six tries to overwhelm their French opponents with stand-in fly-half Luke McAlister kicking 19 points and playing a part in several touchdowns.
The New Zealander put Sale in front as early as the third minute before Sebastien Chabal forced his way over from a scrum, but Brive soon hit back with Farid Sid crossing over.
A delightful crossfield kick from McAlister allowed Lee Thomas to touch down and he added another penalty before Brive caught the hosts napping on the stroke of half-time, when Vickus Liebenberg barged Oriol Ripol out the way to touch down in the right corner.
The French were in contention at 21-12 at the break but victory soon became a formality for Sale when Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe touched down twice in the space of 10 minutes to extinguish Brive hopes.
Jean-Philippe Bonrepaux did cross for the visitors but Will Cliff came off the bench to score his first try for the club, and McAlister converted a 71st minute penalty try before Liebenberg scored a consolation which was converted by Maxime Petitjean.
