Sale canter to big win over Biarritz

The Sharks eased to victory thanks to two penalty tries and a solo effort from Andrei Ostrikov, plus 16 points from the boot of Joe Ford and a conversion from replacement Danny Cipriani.

A much-changed Sale side had the Pool One game as good as won with half an hour remaining but they failed to kick on and pick up a try-scoring bonus point.

The Sharks moved into a 9-3 lead by the 20-minute mark thanks to an early drop goal and a brace of penalties from Ford, with Julien Peyrelongue initially having levelled the scores with his first success after 10 minutes.

The opening try followed after 25 minutes as a powerful five-metre scrum saw referee Ian Davies point to the posts. Ford added the straightforward extras and Sale were 16-3 to the good.

The score remained the same until five minutes after half-time when Ford added a third penalty before Sale surged further ahead with a second try four minutes later.

Russian lock Ostrikov showed superb skills to dummy his way through two defenders before racing fully 40 metres for his first try in Sale colours.

Ford's conversion from out wide put the game to bed with Sale 26-3 clear but Biarritz hit back with a converted try of their own when Eugene Van Staden rumbled over from a driven lineout after 55 minutes.

Cipriani entered the action after an hour but, even with Biarritz prop Francisco Gomez Kodela being yellow carded, Sale were unable to add to their tally until their second penalty try - again for a scrum offence - arrived with five minutes left.