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Sale Sharks booked a Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final trip to La Rochelle after crushing the Scarlets 57-14 in Llanelli.
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Sale’s first European Cup last-eight appearance for 15 years was never in doubt after they produced a dominant display built on immense forward power.
The Scarlets had no answer as hooker Akker van der Merwe scored two first-half tries, while fly-half AJ MacGinty kicked two conversions and three penalties to open up a 23-0 interval lead.
MacGinty finished with 32 points, breaking Charlie Hodgson’s individual Sale record for a European Cup game set in 2006.
His haul included a try while wing Marland Yarde, lock Josh Beaumont and substitute scrum-half Raphael Quirke also touched down, and MacGinty’s immaculate performance featured 11 successful kicks out of 11.
Wales hooker Ken Owens and flanker Jac Morgan scored tries for the Scarlets that full-back Leigh Halfpenny converted, but the Welsh side were outclassed and outmuscled as Sale cut loose and condemned their opponents to a record European Cup home defeat.
Sale and European Cup holders Exeter will fly the English flag next weekend, although La Rochelle showed impressive quality in beating Gloucester and the Chiefs must overcome four-time tournament winners Leinster.
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The Scarlets included nine of Wales’ Guinness Six Nations-winning squad in their matchday 23, including a return for skipper Owens, while Halfpenny made his first appearance since failing a head injury assessment during the victory over Scotland seven weeks ago.
Sale welcomed back England flanker Tom Curry among six changes from the side that beat Gallagher Premiership opponents Wasps last Saturday, but captain Jono Ross was ruled out so Beaumont took over as skipper.
MacGinty kicked Sale into a second-minute lead following a Scarlets scrum infringement, and early signs were positive for the visitors as De Klerk dictated play.
Sale dominated the opening quarter but Scarlets did not help themselves at times and they contributed to Sharks’ first try. Owens was the guilty party, overthrowing at a lineout inside Scarlets’ 22, with the ball going straight to his opposite number Van der Merwe who smashed through three defenders to touch down.
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MacGinty’s conversion opened up a 10-point lead and the Welsh side could have few complaints as they struggled to make any impact.
MacGinty kicked another penalty before Sale were inches away from a second touchdown, but centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg narrowly failed to exert sufficient downward pressure after chasing a kick.
The visitors, though, did not have to wait long to compound Scarlets’ misery and it was Van der Merwe who struck again, this time from a lineout drive, with MacGinty’s conversion making it 20-0.
He completed his penalty hat-trick four minutes before the break, leaving Scarlets with a mountain to climb as they trailed by 23 points at the interval and lost Wales centre Johnny Williams through injury.
Sale’s dominance showed no sign of relenting and they scored again just three minutes after the restart when MacGinty won his own kick and chase before slotting an easy conversion.
Owens opened Scarlets’ account when he was driven over the line for a try that Halfpenny converted, but it felt like a mere consolation effort even with more than 30 minutes left.
And normal service soon resumed after De Klerk snapped away at the heels of his forwards, pushing them through phase after phase until possession was shipped wide and Yarde crossed wide out.
MacGinty converted and even though Sale boss Alex Sanderson began making changes, there was no let-up in Sale’s relentless approach.
McGinty’s sharp midfield break created try number five as Beaumont went over unopposed. MacGinty’s conversion edged his team within sight of 50 points, and they got there through two more penalties.
Comments on RugbyPass
A distinct discomfort with the officiating they were probably selected from the local IRA narcos branch along with the commentators bloody fly tippers.
1 Go to commentsWow, never thought I would read that
1 Go to commentsExcellent match. Great to see Keenan and Ryan back for Leinster. Super result for Ulster. Season is turning around.
1 Go to comments“We need eight or nine new players, who are hard-wearing and durable and experienced Premiership performers”. So why are they scouting a retired fullback who himself admits that his “body is broken”?
1 Go to commentsBrumbies hand, knocked a Crusaders hand. Therefore, knock on in goal. Crusaders, goal line drop out should’ve been awarded. most likely after that 24 each at full time, so extra time would’ve been the right an entertaining outcome. Act Jim
1 Go to commentsSpeell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
6 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
6 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
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