Defending champions Toulouse joined fellow French sides Bordeaux-Begles, Toulon and Castres in the quarterfinals of the Champions Cup as they turned on the power in the second half to beat English club Sale 38-15 on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Bordeaux-Begles advanced with a frenetic 43-31 win over Ulster on Sunday.
The closing match of the weekend in Toulouse was delayed 40 minutes when an air force parachutist, who was supposed to bring the match ball onto the pitch, was caught on the roof of the stadium.
After the game finally kicked off, it took the home team 40 minutes to entirely find their feet.
The hosts started strongly as their English flanker Jack Willis went over in the first minute. After Sale fullback Luke James replied with a try after four minutes the visitors hustled Toulouse out of their stride. Flanker Jonny Hill put Sale ahead and they could have bolstered their lead but Tom Roebuck's foot brushed the touchline and Tom Ford was narrowly wide with two drop-kick attempts.
"In the first half we had trouble living with them. They're a big team with a big back and a very aggressive defence. We're very happy with the second half," said Toulouse fullback Thomas Ramos.
The home team muscled their way into the lead early in the second half. Flanker Francois Cros crunched over after a lineout after 45 minutes and Ramos booted Toulouse into the lead with the conversion. Hooker Julien Marchand powered over from close range after 58 minutes.
With Toulouse in total control, Ange Capuozzo and Guillaume Gramont touched down in the last seven minutes. Ramos converted all five tries and finished with 13 points.
"The first half was a little complicated. The second half was better," said Willis. "We won. We're happy."
TOULOUSE V TOULON IN QUARTERFINALS
Toulouse visit Top 14 rivals Toulon in the quarterfinals.
"If we want to go further we have to play as we did in the second half, not the first," coach Ugo Mola told his players on the pitch after the final whistle.
Bordeaux Begles won a vintage game of free-flowing rugby scoring six tries to five by Ulster.
"We started well, but finished badly," said Bordeaux coach Yannick Bru, whose team next face Munster.
"In six days' time, the intensity will be greater because Munster are superior to this Ulster team who were true to their values, moving the ball, very physical and present for 80 minutes.
There was no Louis Bielle-Biarrey in the Bordeaux line-up but it took just seven minutes for France's other great wing, Damian Penaud to score his 11th try this season, equalling Saracens' Chris Ashton's competition record set in 2013-2014.
ULSTER FIGHTBACK
Moments later the former Australia and Tonga lock Adam Coleman stretched to touch down. Ten minutes later when prop Ben Tameifuna crashed over.
Former Ireland fly-half Joey Carbery, starting ahead of Matthieu Jalibert, kicked his third conversion to put Bordeaux 21-0 up.
Ulster, the 1999 champions, hit back when prop Tom O'Toole powered over and David McCall squeezed through for a second try.
John Cooney converted both but Bordeaux ended the half with a glorious movement that went through six pairs of hands before Romain Buros went over at the corner.
Carbery converted to put Bordeaux 28-14 up at the break but was injured at the start of the second half and replaced by France international fly-half Jalibert.
The home side again started quickly. Maxime Lucu popped over a penalty before hooker Maxime Lamothe was driven over after a line-out.
Again Ulster bounced back with Nick Timoney and Zac Ward touching down although replacement Nathan Doak missed both conversions.
Bordeaux found another gear, and Rohan Janse van Rensburg went over with nine minutes remaining. Ward snatched his second for Ulster just before the end.