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Pride the Sharks spur

Wednesday 9th January 2013

12:00 am (GMT)

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Montpellier have to beat Premiership strugglers Sale Sharks in Salford to keep their slim chances of a quarter-final place in the Heineken Cup alive. - 09/01/2013 16:26

Montpellier have to beat Premiership strugglers Sale Sharks in Salford to keep their slim chances of a quarter-final place in the Heineken Cup alive. - 09/01/2013 16:26

Montpellier have to beat Premiership strugglers Sale Sharks in Salford to keep their slim chances of a quarter-final place in the Heineken Cup alive.

The French outfit side are five points behind their compatriots, Top 14 leaders and Pool 6 leaders Toulon, and know a victory is a must at the Salford City Stadium on Friday night.

Sale Sharks, who saw caretaker coach John Mitchell return to South Africa over the festive period, will be hoping they can use the tail end of their European campaign to kick-start their season.

The Premiership strugglers have managed one victory, when they beat the Cardiff Blues at home, in the Pool but will be desperate to get any kind of win to boost their confidence.

The Sharks cannot qualify for the knock-out stages and only have pride to play for but they could end Montpellier’s very slim hopes of a place in the last eight if they beat the French side.

Montpellier, who are only in the second season of Heineken Cup rugby, will be satisfied with their European campaign but they will want to keep the pressure on French rugby’s big spenders heading in the final weekend of Pool games.

Match Facts

* The only previous meeting between these sides in this tournament came earlier in the season, when the French side triumphed on Sale’s home ground.

* They have met four times in the Amlin Challenge Cup, with Sale claiming two wins and a draw in these games, including a 14-14 game when they last met in France.

* Sale’s heavy defeat to Toulon means the Salford based club have the poorest defence in the tournament, averaging 36 points shipped per game.

* Sale’s David Seymour has made the most tackles in the competition so far, completing 53 of 55 attempts. Danny Cipriani has missed a joint high 11 tackles.
 

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Montpellier take Pool 6 to the wire

Friday 11th January 2013

12:00 am (GMT)

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Le MHR s'en est allé chercher une deuxième victoire en Heineken Cup

Le MHR s'en est allé chercher une deuxième victoire en Heineken Cup

Montpellier’s hopes of a first Heineken Cup quarter-final appearance remain very much alive after a 27-6 win at Sale Sharks.

Tries from Yohann Artu, Johnnie Beattie, Pierre Berard and a penalty try sealed a fine success at the Salford City Stadium as they made it four wins from five tournament fixtures this term.

The fact that the win was coupled with a try-scoring bonus point means Pool 6 will go down to the wire regardless of the result of tomorrow’s clash between leaders Toulon and Cardiff Blues.

Prior to referee Leighton Hodges’ decision to award a penalty try with 77 minutes played, Toulon knew that a maximum-point win over the Blues at the Stade Felix Mayol would see them secure top spot but that honour could now go to Montpellier if they can claim a handsome victory over their French rivals next weekend.

Left wing Artu gave Montpellier just the kind of start they were looking for in the north of England when he crossed after just nine minutes and the visitors were good value for this convincing win from there on in. Scrum-half Benoit Paillaugue added the extras to Artu’s effort having missed a fifth-minute penalty attempt before Danny Cipriani got the Sharks off the mark with 16 minutes gone.

Scotland back rower Beattie gave Montpellier some breathing space when he touched down for an unconverted score two minutes past the half hour but Cipraini had the last say of the half with his second penalty after 36 minutes.

Montpellier began the second period in a similar manner to the first, though, as they added eight points to their tally in as many minutes after the restart.

Paillaugue’s first penalty success on 46 minutes was followed by a try for full back Berard just two minutes later as Montpellier surged 14 points clear, although it looked like they would have to settle for just a four-point win as they failed to trouble the scoreboard again until the dying stages.

Victory was as good as assured a long while from full time but Hodges’ gave them even more reason to celebrate when he pointed to the posts with just two-and-a-half minutes remaining.

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