Sale march on in challenge Cup
Mark Cueto scored twice as Sale Sharks continued their comfortable march in the European Challenge Cup with an emphatic 53-14 victory over Petrarca.
The England wing shrugged off the disappointment of his no try in the World Cup with scores in either half during a predictable lop-sided game at the Sergio Lanfranchi Stadium.
Scottish international Rory Lamont also helped himself to a brace of tries, with forwards Chris Day, Lionel Faure, Dean Schofield and David Tait all going over as the Sharks added to their clinical display against Montpellier last week.
Welshman Lee Thomas kicked a 16-point haul with Charlie Hodgson deemed surplus to requirements for the Challenge Cup favourites.
Worcester shrugged off their woeful Premiership form to produce their best performance of the season as they brushed aside Montauban 41-18 at Sixways.
The Warriors scored five tries and Australian-born fly-half Shane Drahm had the ball on a string as he collected a personal tally of 21 points in the European Challenge Cup Pool 2 match .
The Warriors went into the match without new signing Greg Rawlinson, after it was discovered the South African-born All Black second-rower was registered in time to play in the European Challenge Cup.
Rawlinson, who has three caps for New Zealand, arrived at Sixways during the week, but it was too late to cut through the red tape and enable him to take his place on the bench. Youngster Will Bowley was drafted into the squad.
Full-back Chris Pennell opened the scoring for Worcester and and Drahm added a couple of goals and back-rower Netani Talei opened a 17-3 lead.
Rival forwards Craig Gillies and Yannick Caballero traded tries, and while Drahm slotted a dropped goal to extend the lead, Montabaun showed they had come to play when winger Jean-Emmanuel Cassin scored on the stroke of halftime to narrow the margin to 27-13.
A rapid-fire brace of tries from Thinus Delport and Drahm clinched a try bonus point.
Bath ensured English sides swept the board in the Challenge Cup against Overmach Parma but coach Steve Meehan will have been concerned at the way his team struggled to shrug off the Italians.
The Guinness Premiership side were expected to rack up another healthy victory over the Italians who had never won in England but the frustration around the Recreation Ground was palpable as Bath wobbled to a 28-0 win.
World Cup winner Butch James made his debut and pulled out a moment of inspiration to send Olly Barkley under the posts to ensure maximum points for Bath.
It took a yellow card for Parma prop Fabio Staibano to hand Bath the advantage and skipper Steve Borthwick finally broke the deadlock with a timely try deep into injury time.
Bath’s poor play continued into the second half, before centre Alex Crockett showed a clean pair of heels to his opposite number before Barkley and replacement Jonny Faamatuainu went over.
