Llanelli win over Sale Sharks 'a great result' - Jenkins

Llanelli coach Gareth Jenkins acclaimed his team's potentially priceless Pool 3 Heineken Cup victory over Sale Sharks as "a great result".

The Scarlets trailed by three points just five minutes from time, but substitute forward David Hodges' try and a Stephen Jones penalty saw them home 17-12.

With French rivals Bourgoin losing at Glasgow on Friday night, Llanelli remained on course for the quarter-finals with two Pool Three games remaining.

"We've had a great result tonight," said Jenkins.

"We were under the cosh, and we weren't winning that game until the 75th minute. The key was our composure - we didn't panic.

"Bourgoin's defeat has made this group a reality for us. It was certainly a nice Christmas present for us from Scotland.

"The result was the most important thing for us. Sale defended aggressively and magnificently, and I cannot give enough credit to them."

Llanelli lost talisman number eight Scott Quinnell with a rib injury at half-time - Hodges replaced him - while wing Wayne Proctor went to hospital for tests on possible concussion.

Sale had the satisfaction of outscoring their hosts 2-1 on tries - flanker Apollo Perelini and centre Graeme Bond touched down - but a fourth successive Heineken Cup defeat means that they have no chance of progressing further.

"It was a bit of a difficult task coming down here, but I was delighted with the performance," said Sale coach Jim Mallinder.

"Llanelli probably weren't quite as consistent in getting over the gain-line tonight as they were against us last week but we missed 28 one-on-one tackles last Friday, which you cannot afford to do."