Sale get bonus-point win at Calvisano

Calvisano 11 Sale Sharks 29

Winger Oriol Ripol led the way with two tries as Sale Sharks kept their Heineken Cup qualification hopes alive with a bonus-point victory over Calvisano at the Centro Sportivo San Michele.

Centre Chris Mayor and scrum-half Ben Foden claimed the other Sharks tries and fly-half Richard Wigglesworth landed three conversions and a penalty in the Pool Three clash.

Prop Lorenzo Cittadini claimed a consolation try four minutes from time for bottom-of-the-table Calvisano whose other points came from a Roland De Marigny drop goal on 20 minutes and a Andrea Scanavacca penalty on 55 minutes.

The Sharks led 24-3 at half-time and although they lost the second half 8-5 they were never in any danger.

Wigglesworth set Sharks on their way with a third-minute penalty before Ripol claimed the first of his two tries and Wigglesworth converted for a 10-0 lead.

Centre Mayor crashed over for a second Sharks try on 20 minutes and scrum-half Foden claimed a third three minutes before the break, Wigglesworth converting both.

Ripol claimed Sharks’ only points after the break with his second try on the hour.

Sharks were hampered by a yellow card for replacement Andy Titterrell in the 64th minute.

Scanavacca landed his penalty and there was further reward for the Italians when Cittadini claimed his try at the death.

The only setback ahead of next week’s clash with the Ospreys at Edgeley Park was a leg injury sustained by num ber eight Nathan Bonner Evans.

Sale had made several changes following last week’s win over Gloucester with head coach Kingsley Jones resting Sililo Martens, Stuart Turner, Dean Schofield, Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe and Sebastien Chabal.

David Tait returned from a leg fracture suffered against Harlequins in October.