Adams double helps Cardiff seal emotional win over Sale

Josh Adams has scored 11 tries successful his past 9 quality for Cardiff

Cardiff produced the cleanable tribute to their erstwhile benefactor Peter Thomas by defeating Sale successful the European Challenge Cup.

Sale scored tries done Akker van der Merwe, Thomas Roebuck and Ewan Ashman with George Ford kicking 12 points.

Cardiff's triumph acceptable up a quarter-final sojourn to look Benetton adjacent Saturday.

Adams benefitted from the accomplishment of Wales fly-half Evans who created some his scores.

Evans dovetailed expertly with full-back Rhys Priestland who picked up the player-of-the-match award.

Remembering a Cardiff stalwart

The Cardiff Arms Park wage their respects to erstwhile Chairman Peter Thomas up of kick-off betwixt Cardiff and Sale

It was an affectional evening astatine the Arms Park arsenic it represented the archetypal clip Cardiff person played astatine location since the passing of their beingness president, and agelong serving president and benefactor, Peter Thomas.

A minute's soundlessness was followed by a minute's applause with Thomas' household and Cardiff players, coaches, supporters and unit members poignantly paying their respects connected the field.

• Peter Thomas: Former Cardiff president dies aged 79

Cardiff had besides announced earlier the crippled they were naming the South basal astatine the Arms Park aft Thomas.

Cardiff welcomed backmost Wales internationals Adams, Taulupe Faletau and Tomos Williams with Priestland switching to full-back from fly-half.

Sale, who are 2nd successful the Premiership, had dropped into the Challenge Cup having suffered 3 defeats successful the Heineken Champions Cup excavation stage.

England internationals Manu Tuilagi and Ben Curry returned to the Sharks line-up aft Six Nations duty, portion fig 8 Dan du Preez and hooker Van der Merwe started aft injury.

Cardiff fastener Lopeti Timani suffered an aboriginal wounded stroke which helium could not retrieve from.

This prompted an aboriginal reshuffle with replacement Thomas Young slotting into the backmost enactment and skipper Josh Turnbull moving up to lock.

Evans opened the scoring with a punishment earlier Sale responded with a effort from almighty hooker van der Merwe who stormed implicit with Ford converting.

Cardiff responded with a good interruption from Wales centre Mason Grady who recovered his midfield spouse Max Llewellyn.

He linked up with Young who was stopped by a precocious tackle but the determination continued with prop Domachowski yet powering implicit and Evans converted.

Cardiff prop Corey Domachowski celebrates scoring his 2nd effort of the season

Ford levelled the scores with his archetypal punishment earlier Evans and Priestland combined perfectly successful midfield to merchandise Adams.

Another flowing determination astir resulted successful a effort for Wales squad subordinate Teddy Williams but the fastener was denied by the officials aft they deemed the last Faletau walk was forward.

Cardiff's scrum dominance and relentless attacking unit resulted successful different Adams effort aft helium latched onto a clever left-foot footwear from Evans.

Sale besides suffered a treble stroke connected the changeable of half-time arsenic prop Nick Schonert was shown a yellowish paper for persistent set-piece offences.

Cardiff took a 12-point vantage into the 2nd fractional and continued their scrum dominance which allowed Priestland to slot implicit a long-range penalty.

Grady again displayed his athleticism with a good burst down the near manus broadside to emphasise wherefore Warren Gatland capped him during the 2023 Six Nations.

Wales scrum-half Tomos Williams escaped immoderate authorisation connected an off-the shot situation connected other fig Gus Warr, portion Sale were not penalised for a robust tackle connected Llewellyn.

Sale responded with a well-worked effort by helping Roebuck portion Ford's conversion and punishment brought the visitors to wrong 5 points of Cardiff.

That soon became a two-point vantage arsenic replacement hooker Ashman drove implicit and Ford converted.

Cardiff were shell-shocked but regained their composure and the pb with an Evans penalty.

It was a slender vantage going into the last minutes but captious turnovers from James Botham and Kristian Dacey kept Sale astatine bay and sealed a celebrated triumph for Dai Young's side.

Cardiff: Rhys Priestland; Owen Lane, Mason Grady, Max Llewellyn, Josh Adams; Jarrod Evans, Tomos Williams; Corey Domachowski, Liam Belcher, Keiron Assiratti, Lopeti Timani, Teddy Williams, Josh Turnbull (capt), James Botham, Taulupe Faletau.

Replacements: Kristian Dacey, Rhys Carré, Dillon Lewis, Seb Davies, Thomas Young, James Ratti, Lloyd Williams, Ben Thomas

Sale: Joe Carpenter; Thomas Roebuck, Robert du Preez, Manu Tuilagi, Tom O'Flaherty; George Ford, Gus Warr; Bevan Rodd, Akker van der Merwe, Nick Schonert, Jean-Luc du Preez, Jonny Hill, Jono Ross, Ben Curry (capt), Dan du Preez.

Replacements: Ewan Ashman, Simon McIntyre, Coenie Oosthuizen, Josh Beaumont, Sam Dugdale, Raffi Quirke, Sam James, Arron Reed

Referee: Luc Ramos (France)

Assistant referees: Evan Urruzmendi & Kevin Bralley (France)

TMO: Patrick Dellac (France)