Clermont 35 - Sale 3: French heavyweights cruise to victory
SALE suffered a second successive European Champions Cup defeat as French heavyweights Clermont Auvergne powered to an emphatic victory at Stade Marcel Michelin.
An early try by Clermont's former Bath full-back Nick Abendanon put the home side in charge, before wing Napolioni Nalaga claimed two second-half touchdowns and substitute Aurelien Rougerie also scored, while fly-half Camille Lopez's 15-point haul kept his team firmly in Pool One contention.
Sale, though, have fallen off the quarter-final pace in a punishing group that also includes Saracens and Munster.
Fly-half Danny Cipriani scored their points through a first-half penalty, but the Sharks were mauled in the second period as Clermont posted 22 unanswered points.
Leinster, meanwhile, made it two wins out of two with a 21-16 victory over Castres, with Ian Madigan kicking seven penalties.