With Sale Sharks hosting Connacht Rugby in the opening European Rugby Challenge Cup quarter-final on March 29, we take a look at a few of their previous meetings in the competition. 2001/02: Connacht Rugby 30 Sale Sharks 33 The first meeting between the two sides was a nail-biter throughout as Sale just prevailed in a classic at The Sportsground in Galway. They had both won their opening two matches against Rugby Roma and Narbonne, but it was the away team – with the likes of wing Mark Cueto and fly-half Charlie Hodgson in their ranks – who came out on top. 2001/02: Sale Sharks 44 Connacht Rugby 6 The second meeting that season was held at Heywood Road – the home of Sale Sharks until 2003 – and Sale completed the double over Connacht to all but secure a spot in the last eight. The convincing success helped them to eventually be seeded No.3 in the quarter-finals and Sale went on to defeat Bristol Shoguns, Gloucester Rugby and Pontypridd en route to a famous Challenge Cup triumph. https://twitter.com/SaleSharksRugby/status/1087345777612148736 2004/05: Connacht Rugby 18 Sale Sharks 25 Having reached the Challenge Cup semi-finals for just the second time, Connacht’s bid for a maiden final was undone by Sale wing Mark Cueto, who scored two tries, although it was the 96th minute score from captain Andrew Farley that gave Sale a crucial advantage going into the second leg at Edgeley Park, the Sharks’ home then. 2004/05: Sale Sharks 59 Connacht Rugby 9 Sale maintained their excellent record over Connacht to reach a second Challenge Cup final in four seasons. Having set up the tie with a narrow victory in Galway, Sale were rampant at Edgeley Park as they ran in seven tries, with Cueto bagging a hat-trick. They were victorious again in the final, where they swept aside Pau 27-3 in Oxford.