Challenge Cup wrap: Sale smash Agen
Sale kept their Challenge Cup hopes alive on Sunday with a win over Agen while Exeter edged past the Dragons.
Sale kept their Amlin Challenge Cup quarter-final hopes alive on Sunday with a five-try win over Agen at Edgeley Park.
In Sunday's other game, Exeter snatched victory from the Dragons in the dying minutes at Rodney Parade.
Sale Sharks 41-21 Agen
Edgeley Park
Sharks' bonus-point victory puts them in second place in Pool Five behind leaders Brive, with their home clash with the French set to be the group decider.
The Sharks made most of a yellow card shown to Agen lock Damien Lagrange with quick tries from Tom Brady and skipper David Seymour to race to a 20-6 lead at half time.
After the restart Brady crossed for his second try before scrum-half Cillian Willis scored the home side's fourth try for the vital bonus point.
Former Wales centre Jamie Robinson and Tongan number eight Opeti Fonua then scored tries for the visitors to close the gap, but a late try from Scott Mathie sealed a comfortable Sale win.
The scorers:
For Sale:
Tries: Brady 2, Seymour, Willis, Mathie
Cons: MacLeod 4, Miller
Pens: MacLeod 2
For Agen:
Tries: Robinson, Fonua
Cons: Lamoulie
Pens: Courrent 3
Dragons 19-23 Exeter
Rodney Parade
A 76th minute try from number eight James Phillips saw Exeter snatch a dramatic come-from-behind win in Wales to move level with Perpignan at the Top of Pool Foor.
Toby Falatau's first-half try had helped Dragons to a 16-6 lead at the break but the visitors came back strongly in the second period, scoing unanswered tries through hooker Simon Alcott and Phillips.
The scorers:
For Dragon:
Try: Falatau
Con: Tovey
Pens: Tovey 4
For Exeter:
Tries: Alcott, Phillips
Cons: Steenson 2
Pens: Mieres 2, Steenson