England marksman Charlie Hodgson kicked 21 points to give Sale Sharks a Parker
Pen Shield double over last season's runners-up Narbonne and earn the
Manchester-based club a ticket into the quarter-finals.
The home side were forced to come from behind in the second half after the
Frenchmen, making their second visit to the north-west of England in a week
following the postponement of last Friday's fixture due to frost, had gone in
front with two penalties in the last few minutes of the half.
Hodgson helped himself to five penalties and three conversions as Sale
maintained their 100record in Pool Four with a fifth successive victory,
opening the scoring in the game after only two minutes.
Former England wing Steve Hanley ran in two tries and fellow wing Tony Elliott
grabbed another.
Sale's fourth try came from centre Martin Shaw on the stroke of full-time.
It was a burst of 23 points in a 20-minute purple patch midway through the
second half which clinched victory for Sale as Hanley ran in his second try,
Elliott followed him to the line two minutes later and Hodgson helped himself to
two conversions and three penalties.
Sale now move on to Rome to complete their pool games at the weekend and one
more victory will make a home tie in the last eight a certainty.
Teams:
Sale: Going, Hanley, Shaw, Deane, Elliott, Hodgson, Dickens, Yates, Titterrell, Black, Fullarton, Giacheri, Lines, Wilkes, Pinkerton.
Replacements: Davidson for Elliott (74), Baxendell for Hodgson (80), Bramhall for Dickens (80), Jackman for Titterrell (80), Turner for Black (74), C. Jones for Lines (77), Perelini for Wilkes (56).
Tries: Hanley 2, Elliott, Shaw.
Cons: Hodgson 3.
Pens: Hodgson 5.
Narbonne: Narbonne: Bazini, Joubert, Douy, Moraitis, Tutard, Rosalen, Bonhoure, Poux, Ledesma, Bigou, Gaston, Moore, Furet, Mathieu, Hill.
Replacements: Subra for Joubert (25), Martinez for Douy (68), Quesada for Rosalen (70), Petit for Ledesma (70),
Sabardeil for Bigou (68), Allam for Gaston (71), Reynaud for Mathieu (66).
Tries: Douy.
Cons: Rosalen.
Pens: Rosalen 2.
Drop Goals: Bazini.
Att: 2,561
Ref: Paul Adams (Welsh RFU).