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Sale set Amlin pace

Sale set Amlin pace

01/14/2012 08:11:05 PM

Sale Sharks secured their biggest away victory in Europe with a straightforward 69-10 Amlin Challenge Cup win over Spanish champions La Vila.

Rob Miller scored 24 points, including two tries, while Tom Brady and Richie Vernon also claimed a brace as the Sharks ran in 11 tries in Alicante.

Steve Diamond's team will become the first team to qualify for the quarter-finals of the competition if they beat Pool Five leaders Brive at Edgeley Park next Thursday.

Brady opened the scoring after 10 minutes before Joaquin Tuculet and Joe Ward followed. Welshman Tim Evans gave Sale a scare when he crossed to cut the lead to 17-10 but Miller hit back to secure a bonus point before Vernon grabbed his first on the stroke of half-time.

Will Cliff, Miller, Brady, Scott Mathie, Vernon and Jordan Davies all scored in the second half to seal an emphatic win.

Exeter are one game away from a first appearance in a European quarter-final after claiming a 50-10 victory over Cavalieri Prato in Pool Four.

Kevin Barrett, Mark Foster, Aly Muldowney, Pat Phibbs and Ignacio Mieres all crossed in the seven-try rout at Stadio Lungobisenzio.

But the victory, that paved the way for a winner-takes-all clash against Perpignan at Sandy Park next Saturday, was marred by injuries to Joseph Tatupu and Jack Nowell.

The power of the Chiefs scrum set the tone for victory, securing the first and bonus-point try, either side of scores from scrum-half Barrett and Foster.

Prato hit back through flanker Nicola Belardo but Phibbs grabbed his first try for Exeter while Muldowney and Mieres completed the rout in Italy.

Wasps laboured to a 32-11 unconvincing victory over Rovigo but it was enough to stay in control of Pool Three.

Sam Jones and Elliot Daly scored in the first half but it was not until Ryan Davis and Richard Haughton touched down in the final three minutes that Wasps clinched the bonus point.

That extra point ensured Wasps will reach the quarter-finals with victory over Bordeaux-Begles next Sunday.

Rovigo had only won once in the last six seasons in Europe, yet Wasps led by just 15-11 eight minutes from time.

Back-row Jones scored and Daly looked to have set Wasps on course to open a 12-6 lead at half-time.

However Rovigo replied with a try and neither kicker could settle the contest in foggy conditions at Stadio Mario Battaglini before Davis skipped through three minutes from time and Haughton sealed a late bonus.

Worcester travel to Paris next weekend with a slim chance of qualification from Pool One following their 55-10 win over Crociati.

The Warriors brushed past the Italians by running in nine tries at Sixways to keep them within sight of Stade Francais, who won 34-13 at Bucharest Wolves.

Worcester must now beat Stade and deny the home team a bonus point to stand any chance of progressing to the knock-out stage for the first time in three years.

Errie Claassens crossed twice, either side of Alex Grove's score, before Andy Goode wrapped up a bonus point before half-time.

Tom Arscott took just two minutes of the second half to kick-start the rout before Josh Drauniniu, Ollie Hayes, Ben Gulliver and Miles Benjamin all followed for the club's biggest win of the season.

On Friday night, Brive hammered French rivals Agen 50-13 to consolidate their place at the top of Pool 5.

The hosts ran in seven tries for an easy bonus-point win at Stade Amédée Domenech.

Fullback Julien Caminati scored two tries and kicked three penalties and three conversions for a personal haul of 25 points.

 
Photograph Copyright : Getty Images
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