Sale Sharks 25-15 La Rochelle: Hosts battle to victory in Champions Cup
By Sky Sports Rugby Union
Last Updated: 24/11/19 3:38pm
Sale Sharks chalked up their first win of this season's Champions Cup as they overcame a battling La Rochelle 25-15 in Pool 2 on Sunday.
Rohan Janse van Rensburg put the Sharks in the ascendancy at the AJ Bell Stadium with a try inside the opening 10 minutes and they were unfortunate not to add to that tally when Chris Ashton had an effort chalked off for a forward pass.
La Rochelle's task got harder when hooker Pierre Bourgarit was dismissed for an act of foul play just before half-time and although they showed dogged determination, a penalty try and score from Ashton after the break sealed the win for the hosts.
The returns of World Cup winner Faf de Klerk and England star Tom Curry, who was named man of the match, were among nine changes to the team that took a bonus point from a 13-7 defeat at Glasgow Warriors last week.
The result effectively puts La Rochelle out of contention following a 31-12 home defeat by Exeter Chiefs, but sets up the Sharks for their home tie against their unbeaten Gallagher Premiership rivals in a fortnight's time.
It took South Africa scrum-half de Klerk just seven minutes to make his mark, taking play to within a foot of the La Rochelle try line with a sniping run which created the position for AJ MacGinty to get centre Van Rensburg over for the opening try.
MacGinty, who had mixed fortunes with the boot, added the conversion to make it 7-0 but missed a penalty in the 14th minute and midway through the first half the visitors drew level with a try out of the blue from winger Vincent Rattez, converted by veteran fly-half Brock James.
James then twice turned down penalties in kickable positions, but the Sharks defence held firm and they looked to have scored a wonderful try in the 26th minute after counter-attacking in spectacular fashion as right winger Denny Solomona raced into space and MacGinty combined with De Klerk to get Ashton over.
Ashton celebrated with a trademark swallow dive and MacGinty added the simple conversion, but referee Andrew Brace was then prompted by television match official Brian MacNeice to check for a forward pass and he subsequently disallowed the try.
Brace took to television replays on two more occasions before half-time to check on foul play, and the results were red and yellow cards which forced the French side to play out the half with 13 men.
Leroux was sin-binned for tackling Solomona off the ball and Bourgarit was sent off after appearing to make contact with flanker Curry's face.
MacGinty kicked a second penalty but, despite being camped on the La Rochelle line, Sale were unable to add any further points, with their fly-half coming up short with a long-range kick on the stroke of half-time.
James brought his side level at 10-10 with a penalty early in the second half, but Sale were back in front thanks to a penalty try in the 45th minute when La Rochelle front rower Dany Priso was sin-binned for collapsing a driving maul. MacGinty's third goal made it 17-10, but the Sharks struggled to put their gritty opponents away.
James was off target with a drop goal attempt before having another charged down by Curry and hitting the left upright with a third.
USA international MacGinty eventually put two scores between the sides with a penalty before Ashton pounced on a loose ball for Sale's third try after Ben Curry had charged down an attempted clearance kick.
La Rochelle finished a well-beaten side, yet managed a consolation try in the last minute through centre Jeremy Sinzelle.