Reigning champions Toulouse needed a second-half fightback to see off stubborn Sale and set up a Champions Cup quarter-final showdown with Toulon.
On an afternoon when kick-off was delayed for 40 minutes when a parachutist taking part in the pre-match festivities became entangled in the rood at the Stade de Toulouse, tries from Francois Cros, Julien Marchand, Ange Capuozzo and Guillaume Cramont after the break sent the six-times winners through 38-15.
A spirited Sale led 15-10 when the half-time whistle sounded, but ultimately they could not keep out the holders, who lost winger Capuozzo to a serious injury in the act of scoring late on.
The game eventually got under way after the parachutist had been released by the emergency services, but the alarm bells were ringing for the visitors almost immediately.
George Ford’s over-cooked kick gave the hosts a bridgehead and there was nothing Sale could do to stop flanker Jack Willis from powering his way over with Thomas Ramos adding the conversion just two minutes in.
They reduced the deficit within three minutes when full-back Luke James made the most of good work by the forwards to touch down, but they escaped when Ramos put a knee touch before he was able to ground Capuozzo’s kick-through.
Ford’s 22nd-minute penalty nudged the Sharks into a single-point lead which he failed to extend with an ambitious drop-goal attempt, but Jonny Hill reached out to dab the ball down after scrum-half Gus Warr’s dancing feet had created the opening and Ford made it 15-7.
Ramos reduced the deficit to five points with a penalty, but Sale winger Tom Roebuck was desperately unfortunate to see a late first-half try chalked off after his foot clipped the touchline as he collected Robert du Preez’s grubber, before Ford fell short with another drop at goal.
Back rower Cros levelled the scores within six minute of the restart before Ramos kicked his side ahead in an increasingly-fractious contest.
But it was Romain Ntamack, whose perfectly-judged 50-22 kick won the line-out from which hooker Marchand forced his way over as the French side established a 24-15 lead.
Capuozzo produced a fine finish six minutes from time, but left the pitch on a stretcher in some discomfort and it was left to Cramont and Ramos – who kicked 13 points – to wrap up the win.
Champions Cup quarter-final fixtures:
Leinster v Glasgow Warriors (Friday 11 April, 8pm)
Bordeaux-Begles v Munster (Saturday 12 April 12, 3pm)
Northampton Saints v Castres (Saturday 12 April, 5.30pm)
Toulon v Toulouse (Sunday 13 April, 3pm)
