Sale breeze past Brive

Shark attack: Sale's Mark Cueto on the run against Brive

Luke McAlister proved an able understudy to Charlie Hodgson with a commanding display to help usher Sale into the European Challenge Cup semi-finals with a 49-24 win over Brive at Edgeley Park on Friday.

Brive came into this match struggling in the French championship and knowing this was their last chance of silverware this season.

But the Sharks ran-in six tries to overwhelm their French opponents with stand-in fly-half McAlister kicking 19 points and playing a part in several touchdowns.

McAlister, the former All Black star, was handed the number ten jersey with Hodgson on the bench following the birth of his first child.

He provided Sale with significant attacking impetus in a comfortable victory and dovetailed effectively with England scrum-half Richard Wigglesworth.

Sale will now face a semi-final trip to either Bath or Leeds on April 26 and winning the competition will secure them a place in next season's Heineken Cup.

McAlister has not always lived up to his reputation since arriving at Edgeley Park on a lucrative two-year contract after last year's World Cup.

Even here his tactical kicking game was up not to Hodgson's lofty standards, but he still landed crucial points with the boot and provided a delightful crossfield kick which allowed Lee Thomas to touch down in the first half.

But it was his handling skills which helped guide Sale around the field to open up a 21-12 advantage with tries from Sebastien Chabal and Thomas.

The Sharks added further scores after the restart through Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (two), Will Cliff's first try for the club and a penalty try which McAlister converted.

Brive proved spirited opponents but Sale were simply too strong and after McAlister's third-minute penalty got them off the mark, Chabal forced his way over from a scrum.

McAlister added the extras and a penalty before flighting a superb cross into the right corner which Thomas touched down.

He failed to convert and Brive hit back when Farid Sid went over and Maxime Petitjean added the extras.

McAlister added another penalty but Sale were caught napping again on the stroke of half-time when Vickus Liebenberg barged Oriol Ripol out the way to touch down in the right corner.

Petitjean could not convert but a 21-12 deficit at least kept the Frenchmen in contention.

That changed shortly after the restart as Lobbe claimed two tries in quick succession and although Brive crossed again through Jean-Philippe Bonrepaux, Cliff came off the bench to add a fifth touchdown for Sale.

McAlister converted a 71st-minute penalty try for Sale but Brive had the final say when Liebenberg claimed his second for a score which Petitjean converted.

The scorers:

For Sale:

Tries: Chabal, Thomas, Lobbe 2, Cliff, Penalty try

Cons: McAlister 5

Pens: McAlister 3

For Brive:

Tries: Sid, Liebenberg 2, Bonrepaux

Cons: Petitjean 2

Yellow card: Van Rensburg, professional foul (Brive, 54 min)

Sale Sharks: 15 Ben Foden, 14 Mark Cueto, 13 Chris Bell, 12 Lee Thomas, 11 Oriol Ripol, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Sebastien Chabal, 7 Magnus Lund, 6 Jason White (c), 5 Sean Cox, 4 Dean Schofield, 3 Eifion Roberts, 2 Sebastien Bruno, 1 Andrew Sheridan.

Replacements: 16 Scott Lawson, 17 Terry Sigley, 18 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 19 Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe, 20 Will Cliff, 21 Charlie Hodgson, 22 Julien Laharrague.

Brive: 15 Alexis Palisson, 14 Farid Sid, 13 Fabrice Estebanez, 12 Ronnie Cooke, 11 Filimone Boleavucu, 10 Maxime Petitjean, 9 Gregory Mahe, 8 Simon Azoulai, 7 Jérôme Bonvoisin, 6 Charl van Rensburg, 5 Vickus Liebenberg, 4 Johan van Zyl (c), 3 Andres Bordoy, 2 Jean Phillipe Bonrepaux, 1 Luke Harbut.

Replacements: 16 Jawad Djoudi, 17 Kevin Buys, 18 Fabien Domingo, 19 Vincent Forgues, 20 Damien Neveu, 21 Luciano Orquera, 22 Norman Ligairi.

Referee: Tim Hayes (Wales)

Touch judges: Phil Fear (Wales), Huw David (Wales)

Television match official: Tony Rowlands (Wales)