By TOM JEFFREYS
Sale Sharks…………………………………24
Tries: Roebuck 59, Creevy 67, Dugdale 77, Veainu 80+2
Conversions: Ford 68, Bedlow 79
La Rochelle…………………………………37
Tries: Leyds 9, Hastoy 43, Kerr-Barlow 47, Seuteni 72
Conversions: Hastoy 10, 45, 48; Reus 74
Penalties: Hastoy 14, 38, 40+2
La Rochelle put on a weather-conditions masterclass to secure Champions Cup knockout qualification and condemn Sale Sharks to the Challenge Cup for a second straight season.
A straight shootout for qualification, it was perhaps the most enticing fixture of the final pool stage round as a reborn La Rochelle travelled to an out of sorts Sale.
With their formsheets polar opposites – La Rochelle won their last three whilst Sale had lost them heading into the game – the double-reigning champions continued their momentum with 30 unanswered points to seal qualification.
20 of these came from fly half Antoine Hastoy whose management of the ferocious wind proved superior. His early second half try, as well as Tawera Kerr-Barlow's, were the difference makers, blunting Sale's optimism with the wind behind them early in the second half.
A semblance of a comeback through tries from Tom Roebuck and Agustín Creevy was nullified by a Ulupano Seuteni intercept, before consolation efforts from Sam Dugdale and Telusa Veainu gave Sale something to hold onto.
The strong conditions immediately worked to Sale's detriment, twice failing to exit. Chronic box-kicker Gus Warr was forced to look wide – an option read by a rushing La Rochelle defence.
A Rob Du Preez grubber was therefore smothered and winger Dillyn Leyds was the first to the loose ball, holding off the scramble defence well to touch down.
Despite building a quick 10-0 lead, the rest of the half became highly frustrating for La Rochelle, who appeared to be chasing the game to make the most of the gusty conditions.
Poor discipline was negated by Sale's inability to establish any field position, but amongst flaring tempers Hastoy was able to take his side three scores clear at half-time.
After a slow end to the first, La Rochelle began the second half with a brutal exemplification of their champion quality. A 10-phase Sale attack in their first possession of the half was turned over brilliantly by Botia, and the ball was quickly worked wide, allowing Hastoy to race clear and dot down under the posts.
Now full of momentum despite playing into the wind, La Rochelle earned a penalty on halfway. Opting to quick tap, they worked through the phases before releasing Lespiaucq down the left flank who was stopped just a metre from the line.
Scrum-half Tawera Kerr-Barlow was on hand to dot down, but the real highlight was Hastoy's scarcely believable touchline conversion. Within six second half minutes and two counter attacks, it was 30-0.
The next passage of play was where you really got the impression that Sale were playing the double-reigning champions. Twice Sam James returned wind-affected clearances with interest – one on either flank – yet both Tom Roebuck and Reed had diving finishes disallowed by try saving tackles.
Teddy Thomas made the try saver on Reed, before latching onto Sam Dugdale in a maul to hold up a seemingly certain try.
Sale were, however, eventually able to get them onto the score sheet ten minutes later. Invigorated by a returning Dan du Preez, Sam James took an offload and spread the ball to Roebuck to score in the corner.
Predictably in the conditions, Sale continued to assault the La Rochelle line. Ill-discipline obstructed them this time, with Hastoy blemishing an otherwise faultless game with a team yellow.
In the consequent attack, a covering Brice Dulin saw a foul play challenge on Reed mitigated down to a yellow to leave La Rochelle two short in the backs.
It was in the forwards, however, Sale next scored, with Agustín Creevy guiding a maul over the line. His try made the score 30-12, giving Sale 13 minutes and a two man advantage to survive in the competition.
This, however, against a La Rochelle team with rediscovered form, was no simple task and a quiet five minutes prompted George Ford to search for some more speculative options. Stumbling on a kick return, he looked to attack wide, but centre Ulupano Seuteni intercepted easily to saunter under the posts.
With the game sealed and qualification delivered, a young Sale finishing 15 showed good character to create tries for the impressive Sam Dugdale and Telusa Veainu. It was, of course, too little too late, with the flurry of tries at the start of the second half putting the game out of reach.
Sale: James; Roebuck, R du Preez, Bedlow, Reed; Ford, Warr; Onasanya, Cowan-Dickie, Schonert, Bamber, Hill, Dugdale, Curry (capt), Beaumont
Replacements: Creevy, Opoku-Fordjour, Harper, Ellis, D du Preez, Thomas, Ma'asi-White, Veainu
La Rochelle: Dulin; Thomas, Seuteni, Tanga, Leyds; Hastoy, Kerr-Barlow; Wardi, Lespiaucq, Atonio, Dillane, Skelton, Boudehent, Botia, Alldritt (capt)
Replacements: Latu, Sclavi, Kuntelia, Lavault, Cancoriet, Berjon, Reus, Nowell
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