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![Sale Sharks will be looking to get back to winning ways when they welcome Oyonnax to the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night. - 11/12/2013 15:07 Sale Sharks will be looking to get back to winning ways when they welcome Oyonnax to the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night. - 11/12/2013 15:07](https://djl5pr6hub29v.cloudfront.net/epcr/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/06170622/AAC_SaleSharks_Easter_2013_660.jpg)
Sale Sharks will be looking to get back to winning ways when they welcome Oyonnax to the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night. - 11/12/2013 15:07
Sale Sharks will be looking to get back to winning ways when they welcome Oyonnax to the AJ Bell Stadium on Friday night.
The French side ended Sale’s victorious start to their Pool 1 campaign with a 16-10 scoreline at the Stade Charles Mathon in Round 3 but the Sharks still top the pool ahead of 2012 tournament winners Biarritz Olympique.
Their lead at the head of the standings has been cut to just one point at the halfway mark, though, and another defeat this week would leave Biarritz as favourites to reach the quarter-finals given that Sale still have to travel to the Parc des Sports Aguiléra in Round 6.
Steve Diamond’s men did pick up what could be a crucial losing bonus point last time out, however, as a last-gasp drop goal from Joe Ford saw them get back within seven points of the tournament newcomers.
Friday’s fixture was Oyonnax’ first victory in Europe following a home draw with Worcester and a convincing defeat at Biarritz and it re-ignited their slim hopes of making the knockout stages in their maiden campaign.
But, while an Oyonnax win was far from surprising given that they have a formidable record on home soil having toppled Heineken Cup holders RC Toulon, runners up ASM Clermont Auvergne, French Champions Castres Olympique, Perpignan and Biarritz in front of their own fans in the Top 14 this term, a repeat in Round 4 would be a major surprise when you look at their form on the road.
Oyonnax haven’t avoided defeat away from home all season, with Bayonne, Racing Metro, Bordeaux-Begles, Montpellier, Grenoble and Toulouse all beating them in the league in the past three months and Biarritz doing likewise in Europe.
![L'US Oyonnax n'a pas fait un pli face dans l'antre des Sale Sharks et s'incline lourdement sur le score de 53 à 14. Le club de l'Ain sera réduit à un rôle de figurant lors des dernières journées de phase de poule d'Amlin Challenge Cup. - 13/12/2013 22:43 L'US Oyonnax n'a pas fait un pli face dans l'antre des Sale Sharks et s'incline lourdement sur le score de 53 à 14. Le club de l'Ain sera réduit à un rôle de figurant lors des dernières journées de phase de poule d'Amlin Challenge Cup. - 13/12/2013 22:43](https://djl5pr6hub29v.cloudfront.net/epcr/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/06171530/HC_Sale_Cipriani_2013_660.jpg)
L'US Oyonnax n'a pas fait un pli face dans l'antre des Sale Sharks et s'incline lourdement sur le score de 53 à 14. Le club de l'Ain sera réduit à un rôle de figurant lors des dernières journées de phase de poule d'Amlin Challenge Cup. - 13/12/2013 22:43
Sale Sharks had maximum points sewn up by half time against Oyonnax as they jumped back above Biarritz Olympique at the top of Pool 1.
The Sharks had slipped to second in the standings after the 2012 Amlin Challenge Cup kings battled to a brave victory over Worcester Warriors despite playing the latter stages with 14 men on Thursday night. But Steve Diamond’s troops responded in the perfect manner to ensure qualification for the quarter-finals remains in their hands.
Danny Cipriani was in superb form for the hosts, with the former England fly-half scoring two of Sale’s seven tries and adding six conversions and two penalties for a personal haul of 28 points.
James Gaskell, Dan Braid and Mark Cueto joined Cipriani in touching down before the break as Sale led 32-0 by the close of the first period. Cipriani then added a second after the restart before Rob Miller and Michael Patterson did likewise late on.
Things didn’t initially appear as if they would be quite so straightforward for the double tournament winners, though, as they only led 6-0 through a brace of Cipriani penalties with just 16 minutes of the half left.
But that all changed in the blink of an eye as Sale crossed four times in quick succession. Ex-skipper Gaskell was the first to go over with 24 minutes played, with Cipriani, former All Black Braid and record try scorer Cueto following suit after 31, 35 and 38 minutes respectively.
Sale started the second half in a similar vein to the way in which they finished the first, with Cipriani claiming his second try to make it 41-0 10 minutes after the restart.
Oyonnax finally hit back with a try of their own from right wing Dug Cudjo but it was never going to be anything more than a consolation for a side who looked a shadow of the team that won the reverse fixture 16-10 in France last Thursday.
They added a second through centre Roimata Hansell-Pune to add a greater respectability to the scoreline but Sale had the last word when Miller and Patterson completed the scoring with Sale’s sixth and seventh scores in the final five minutes.
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