Bok power not enough for Sharks in Paris

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A Springbok-laden Sale Sharks were knocked out of the European Champions Cup after going down 41-22 in Sunday’s quarter-final at La Defense Arena.

Finn Russell scored a superb solo effort and set up another for Teddy Thomas as the Parisians booked their place in the semi-finals.

Racing will host fellow French club La Rochelle in Lens on Sunday as Scotland international Russell’s second-half contributions came after Laurent Travers’ men trailed at the break.

In the other semi, record five-time winners Toulouse will head back to Dublin to face Leinster after beating Munster on Saturday in a penalty shootout. The four-time winners eased past Leicester Tigers 23-14 earlier on Saturday.

On the indoor artificial surface in front of just 9,356 spectators, neither side managed to control the game inside the opening quarter as France U20 scrumhalf Nolan Le Garrec kicked two penalties after Bok flyhalf Robert du Preez missed with an effort.

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After half an hour,  Sharks scrumhalf Faf de Klerk came closest to crossing for a try, but the Bok halfback knocked on while attempting to ground his pick-and-go from short range.

De Klerk was then involved in the opening touchdown as his fumbled pass was gathered by Manu Tuilagi 15 metres out with the clock in the red. Tuilagi found space to canter under the posts unopposed and Du Preez’s conversion made it 10-6 at the break, with the English side 40 minutes away from a first win in France since December 2012.

Racing returned to the pitch from the interval first, reacting quickly to take control of the tie with two sublime tries to take the score to 23-10 after just nine minutes of the second half.

Thomas gathered Russell’s grubber before kicking the ball again to score in one movement. The former Glasgow Warriors playmaker then outdid Thomas to dive over after two volleys, with lucky bounces, which started in his own half.

The visitors responded swiftly to the two quick scores and after a succession of pick-and-goes, Bok hooker Akker van der Merwe bundled over.

With Du Preez’s conversion it was a seven-point game with 25 minutes to go before Le Garrec made it 29-17 with two penalties with less than a quarter of an hour left to make sure of the result.

With Racing’s place in the last four almost secured, Pumas wing Juan Imhoff scored to celebrate his new contract in the French capital before Ben Curry, a second-half replacement for his twin brother Tom, claimed a consolation effort for Sale.

Young fullback Max Spring then cruised over for the hosts’ fourth try in additional time.

© Agence France-Presse

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Devin Hermanus