Toulouse grind out Sale win

Toulouse got the win they needed to secure a home quarter-final in the Heineken Cup as they ground out a hard-fought 19-13 win at Sale.

Three-time European champions Toulouse were solid if unspectacular at a rainy Edgeley Park, but they did enough to confirm their status as third seeds in the Heineken Cup knockout stages.

As a result of their win, Toulouse will now take on fellow French side Stade Francais in a crunch quarter-final, but crucially they will have home advantage against their compatriots.

Sale put up a brave fight against the French side, but Toulouse always seemed to do just enough, especially Jean-Baptiste Elissalde who kicked 14 of their 19 points on the day.

Hooker Virgil Lacombe grabbed Toulouse's only try of the game just after half time, and although Mathew Tait crossed for Sale on 65 minutes, they could just not mount enough pressure to forge ahead and they bowed out of Europe altogether.

Deadlock

The scores were tied at 6-6 at the break as fly-half Charlie Hodgson knocked over two penalties for the hosts, with opposite number Elissalde replied by kicking two drop goals for the visitors.

Sale's chances took an early blow as Fijian number eight Sisa Koyamaibole was sent to the sin-bin after just ten minutes, after he needlessly flattened Frederic Michalak off the ball right in front of referee Alain Rolland.

The Sharks then also had lock Chris Jones shown a yellow card two minutes before the break after his offense at a ruck, and Toulouse made them pay after the break.

Just two minutes into the second half Toulouse grabbed the opening try of the game as Lacombe broke free from some poor Sale cover at a driving lineout and Elissalde's conversion made it 13-6.

The visitors almost crossed again seconds later as full-back Clement Poitrenaud sparked a marvellous counter attack that ended with Vincent Clerc being bundled into touch just short of the Sale line.

Yellow card

Just as Sale were about to be restored to 15 men, Toulouse found themselves a man short as Clerc was ordered off for ten minutes after he checked Richard Wigglesworth as the England international chased his own kick-ahead.

Sale failed to take advantage of their extra man and a desperate bid to launch an attack from their own line backfired as it ended in them conceding a penalty which Elissalde easily slotted over in the 53rd minute.

The hosts finally found a way over after battering away at the Toulouse defence, with England centre Tait making a superb outside break and showing good strength to step inside the cover defence and reach over.

Hodgson added the extras to close the deficit to three points and set up a frenetic finale, but Elissalde had the final say with his second penalty being the last score of the game.

Toulouse move on to a mouth-watering all French quarter-final, while Sale miss out on an Amlin Challenge Cup place after dropping to third in the pool.