Winger Oriol Ripol led the way with two tries as Sale kept their Heineken Cup qualification hopes alive with a bonus-point victory over Calvisano at the Centro Sportivo San Michele. Centre Chris Mayor and scrum-half Ben Foden claimed the other Sharks tries, and fly-half Richard Wigglesworth landed three conversions and a penalty for a 29-11 win.
Lorenzo Cittadini claimed a consolation try four minutes from time for Calvisano, whose other points came from a Roland de Marigny drop goal on 20 minutes and an Andrea Scanavacca penalty on 55 minutes.
The Sharks led 24-3 at half time and although they lost the second half 8-5 they were never in any danger. Wigglesworth set Sharks on their way with a third-minute penalty, before Ripol claimed the first of his two tries, which Wigglesworth converted for a 10-0 lead.
Mayor crashed over for a second Sharks try on 20 minutes and Foden claimed a third three minutes before the break, Wigglesworth converting both.
Ripol claimed the Sharks' only points after the break with his second try on the hour. And they were hampered by a yellow card for replacement Andy Titterrell in the 64th minute. Scanavacca landed his penalty, before that final reward for the Italians when Cittadini claimed his try at the death.
The only setback ahead of next week's clash with the Ospreys at Edgeley Park was a leg injury sustained by No 8 Nathan Bonner-Evans. Sale must win that one with a bonus point to have any chance of qualifying.
Meanwhile, a little further east in Treviso, Castres set up a Pool decider with Wasps next weekend in the south of France. They claimed a bonus point as they ran out 40-21 winners over the Italian champions. The French scored six tries through Rodrigo Capo Ortega, Lionel Nallet, Cameron McIntyre and a hat-trick for Jean-Baptiste Peyras-Loustalet. That leaves them four points shy of Wasps at the top of Pool 1.
Worcester paid for a slack start in the Challenge Cup and went down 35-22 to French high-fliers Clermont Auvergne, who top the Pool. That leaves Worcester hoping to qualify as a best runner-up.
