Sale threw down the gauntlet to European Cup Pool 5 rivals Toulouse and Cardiff Blues with a 29-19 win on Sunday at Harlequins while French side Biarritz cast aside mediocre league form to batter Newport Dragons to maintain their perfect start.

Sale joined Cardiff on nine points from three games, one behind Toulouse - 15-9 losers in Wales on Saturday after Ben Blair's almost one man points show - in what has become the tightest group in the competition.

With even the runners-up not guaranteed a place in the last eight, Sale had every reason to go for broke and bagged a bonus point to boost their Cup hopes following a superb encounter at the Stoop.

Tries from Dwayne Peel, Nick MacLeod and David Seymour saw the Sharks into a 24-12 half-time lead, before Ben Cohen added a clincher. Nick Evans, David Strettle and Nick Easter touched down for Quins, who are now as good as out of the tournament after three defeats on the spin.

Sale director of rugby Kingsley Jones warned that his side were just beginning to show their potential.

"We're seen as underdogs, and I don't mind that one bit. Struggling Sale, I keep hearing. Fine, but we also have a real chance of reaching the quarter-final," said Jones.

Harlequins head coach John Kingston admitted: "It's been a massively disappointing Heineken Cup campaign, but we should warn Sale that we won't travel all the way up there next weekend without being competitive.

"We don't want them to win again and feel they've got a hold over us when we meet in the league on New Year's Day."

Of note for the hosts was the return of winger Tom Williams, who went off with a faked blood injury during last season's semi against eventual winners Leinster.

Williams came on for George Lowe just after the hour but could not spark a recovery.

French side Clermont kept themselves in the running for qualification from Pool 3 with a morale-boosting 40-30 defeat of Leicester at Stade Marcel Michelin.

The victory puts Clermont equal on 11 points with Ospreys, 62-7 winners at Viadana on Saturday, at the top of their pool with Leicester three points off the pace.

Clermont scored five tries through wing Napolini Nalaga (two), flanker Alexandre Lapandry, scrum-half Morgan Parra and lock Jamie Cudmore.

A late Tigers flurry, with converted tries for fly-half Toby Flood, centre Anthony Allen and substitute Jeremy Staunton, could not hide Clermont's dominance.

Earlier Biarritz thrashed Newport 49-13, aided by three early tries to increase their lead at the top of Pool 2, after a third straight win which also gave them two bonus points.

Dimitri Yachvili was at the heart of most of Biarritz's best moves as the scrum half scored 22 points and also one of his side's six tries while Iain Balshaw went over twice for the French, beaten finalists three years ago.

Wing Takudzwa Ngwenya and replacement Valentin Courrent also scored tries for Biarritz, who also were awarded a penalty try.

Tom Riley got on the scoresheet with a Welsh consolation.

Newport did not help their cause by indiscipline which twice saw them reduced to 14 men inside half an hour as Hugh Gustafson was sin-binned for a professional foul and Grant Webb picked up a yellow card in quick succession.

Bath claimed their first success in the tournament with a 16-9 win over Edinburgh in Pool 4, but still need to win all their remaining games, and get help from elsewhere, to progress.

First-half tries from Pieter Dixon and Michael Stephenson set Bath on the way for just their third victory in all competitions this season.

Nicky Little kicked his second penalty in the 72nd minute but Bath only just held on in a frantic last five minutes.

Bath were hosting Edinburgh in Pool 4 where Ulster are setting the pace after their 23-13 win in Belfast on Saturday over Stade Francais.

Saturday highlights saw holders Leinster score a rip roaring 32-7 win away to Llanelli Scarlets to bolster their hopes of reaching the last eight.

After starting out their campaign with a loss to London Irish in Dublin Leinster had got themselves back on track with a win at Brive and Saturday they once again proved their mettle on their travels.

Shane Horgan, Isa Nacewa and Shaun Berne went over in the first period as Leinster shot out of the blocks and Sean O'Brien bagged another try for a bonus point win.

Leinster joined London Irish, 36-3 winners at Brive, on ten points with Scarlets two adrift.

London Irish and Leinster are now set for a clash of the titans next month.

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