Reigning champions Toulouse wanted a second-half fightback to see off cussed Sale and arrange a Champions Cup quarter-final showdown with Toulon.
On a day when kick-off was delayed for 40 minutes when a parachutist participating within the pre-match festivities turned entangled within the rood on the Stade de Toulouse, tries from Francois Cros, Julien Marchand, Ange Capuozzo and Guillaume Cramont after the break despatched the six-times winners via 38-15.
A spirited Sale led 15-10 when the half-time whistle sounded, however finally they may not preserve out the holders, who misplaced winger Capuozzo to a severe harm within the act of scoring late on.
The sport finally acquired beneath method after the parachutist had been launched by the emergency providers, however the alarm bells had been ringing for the guests nearly instantly.
George Ford’s over-cooked kick gave the hosts a bridgehead and there was nothing Sale may do to cease flanker Jack Willis from powering his method over with Thomas Ramos including the conversion simply two minutes in.
They reduced the deficit within three minutes when full-back Luke James made essentially the most of excellent work by the forwards to the touch down, however they escaped when Ramos put a knee contact earlier than he was capable of floor Capuozzo’s kick-through.
Ford’s Twenty second-minute penalty nudged the Sharks right into a single-point lead which he failed to increase with an formidable drop-goal try, however Jonny Hill reached out to dab the ball down after scrum-half Gus Warr’s dancing toes had created the opening and Ford made it 15-7.
Ramos decreased the deficit to 5 factors with a penalty, however Sale winger Tom Roebuck was desperately unlucky to see a late first-half strive chalked off after his foot clipped the touchline as he collected Robert du Preez’s grubber, earlier than Ford fell quick with one other drop at aim.
Again rower Cros levelled the scores inside six minute of the restart earlier than Ramos kicked his facet forward in an increasingly-fractious contest.
But it surely was Romain Ntamack, whose perfectly-judged 50-22 kick gained the line-out from which hooker Marchand compelled his method over because the French facet established a 24-15 lead.
Capuozzo produced a tremendous end six minutes from time, however left the pitch on a stretcher in some discomfort and it was left to Cramont and Ramos – who kicked 13 factors – to wrap up the win.
