Sale Claim Superb Bonus-point Win Against Clermont

Investec Champions Cup Pool One

Clermont Auvergne (7) 14

Tries: Fall, Zamora Cons: Bezy, Zamora

Sale Sharks (20) 35

Tries: O'Flaherty, Louw, Reed, Bedlow, Wills Cons: Du Preez 2 Pens: Du Preez 2

Sale Sharks clinched an awesome bonus-point triumph against Clermont Auvergne to boost their hopes of qualifying from Pool One of nan Investec Champions Cup.

Sale led 20-7 astatine half-time, outscoring their opponents by 3 tries to 1 successful nan first play contempt nan French broadside enjoying greater territory.

Tom O'Flaherty went complete wrong 2 minutes and though Yerim Fall replied for nan hosts, Sale moved clear pinch scores by Marius Louw and Arron Reed.

Reed was yellow-carded early successful nan 2nd half for making head-to-head interaction pinch Sebastien Bezy erstwhile attempting a clearout astatine a ruck - an incident which meant Jacques Vermeulen's effort was disallowed.

Lucas Zamora crossed for Clermont while Sale were down to 14 men, reducing nan shortage to six.

But, aft surviving a spell of unit from nan hosts, Sale past scored 15 points without reply to unafraid an emphatic victory.

The visitors took advantage of a loose Clermont walk to unafraid a effort prize point, pinch centre Joe Bedlow rubbing down connected his Champions Cup debut, earlier Alex Wills' good decorativeness rounded disconnected nan scoring.

A grounds of 2 wins from 4 excavation matches has usually been bully capable for a squad to suffice for nan past 16 of nan Champions Cup.

Sale were connected nan backmost ft having mislaid their opening crippled astatine location to Glasgow and, fixed their last excavation lucifer is simply a daunting-looking travel to six-time winners Toulouse, nan unit was connected to summation a affirmative result.

Rob du Preez again started astatine fly-half pinch England's George Ford still injured, and he made nan last passes for nan first-half tries scored by O'Flaherty and Reed.

Scrum-half Raffi Quirke was nan main designer of Louw's score, darting done Clermont's statement successful nan mediate of nan section to create an opening which nan South African centre vanished off.

Quirke's intercepted walk led to Zamora's reply, which could person been a turning point, but Sale were capable to support Clermont astatine bay successful defence and were objective erstwhile opportunities came astatine nan different end.

In nan January artifact of matches, Sale big South African broadside Sharks and past extremity nan excavation shape pinch a travel to Toulouse.

Alex Sanderson's side, seventh successful nan Prem, return to convention action connected Saturday, 20 December erstwhile they sojourn Northampton Saints.

Clermont Auvergne: Guillaud; Fall, Frier, Moala, Raka; Simone, Bezy; Lotrian, Fourcade, Ojovan, Simmons, Ceyte, Tixeront (capt), Kremer, Tolofua.

Replacements: Lam, Akhaladze, Tutisani, Ratuva, Muarua, Zamora, Plummer, Newsome.

Sale: Reed; O'Flaherty, Bedlow, Louw, Wills; Du Preez, Quirke; McIntyre, Jibulu, John, Burrow, Bamber, Vermeulen, Van Rhyn (capt), B Curry.

Replacements: Caine, Onasanya, Harper, Andrews, Woodman, Warr, Davies, Wehr.

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)

Assistant referees: Franco Rosella (Italy) and Manuel Bottino (Italy)

TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)