Heineken Champions Cup: Bristol 29-35 Sale (agg 39-44)

Sale beat Bristol 29-35 in the Heineken Champions Cup. Arron Reed was sent off in 33rd minute. Harry Thacker, Luke Morahan, Joe Joyce and Rob du Preez scored tries for the visitors. Jono Ross scored for Sale. Charles Piutau set up LukeMorahan for a late try. Sale will play either Racing 92 or Stade Francais in quarter-finals. Bristol's season is in decline.

Sale beat Bristol 24-24 on aggregate to reach the last eight. Faf de Klerk, Lood de Jager, Akker van der Merwe, Manu Tuilagi, Jean Luc de Preez, Tom Roebuck and Thacker scored tries for Sale. Bristol's bench was depleted and they came back into the game. They were level at 24 at the end of the match. They are now ahead by a point on the night. The match was played at Ashton Gate. It was the first time Sale have made it to the quarter-finals of a competition. Sale won the previous two matches.

Bristol lost to Sale. Bristol had 37% territory and possession in the first half. They conceded two penalties at the start of the second half and Sale took the lead.

Sale director of rugby Alex Sanderson is excited about their upcoming bye week in Barcelona. He expects nothing less than four mega days off. Sale have Newcastle at home and the quarter-finals there after.

Bristol have a different team to Sale. They have Thacker for Kerr, Piutau for Lane, Radradra for Bedlow, Luatua for Hughes, Afoa for Sinckler, Uren for Randall and Hawkins for Attwood. Sale have L James, Roebuck, S James and Tuilagi.

Van Rensburg, Ashman, J. Du Preez, McIntyre, Taylor, Schonert, Oosthuizen and Janse van Rinsburg are the replacements.