A seriously below-strength Newport Gwent Dragons team went down to a predictably heavy defeat against English high-fliers Sale at Edgeley Park on Sunday, conceding a Heineken Cup double in the process.

Sale secured the bonus point they needed, though it took them nearly an hour, to ensure their place in the Heineken quarter-finals, and victory in Munster on Saturday will give them a home draw.

The Dragons remain on just one point after losing all five pool games, with just Castres at Rodney Parade on Saturday standing between them and a whitewash.

The Dragons were by no means humiliated, though, and many might have expected a heavier defeat. But the Dragons scored two tries themselves, even if they did concede four. Hal Luscombe, Jamie Ringer and Michael Owen in particular lost nothing in comparison with the vaunted Sale team, but the Dragons lacked the hard edge up front and the speed behind to cause real problems.

The Dragons were in serious trouble in the scrums, and dangerous trio Charlie Hodgson, who scored 15 points, Jason Robinson and two-try Mark Cueto were a real handful.

The Dragons were way below strength, with half a dozen players injured and a similar number stood down by coach Paul Turner, conserved for the Celtic League.

Sale made three changes from the side originally named, with Richard Wigglesworth, Ben Coutts, an Australian who had a spell with Ebbw Vale, and ex-Newport back-row forward Nathan Bonner-Evans coming in.

Sale went through their phases from the kick-off, but Thomas did well to catch a testing Hodgson kick confidently and cleared his lines.

The fearsome Chabal bounced players off and the equally formidable Sheridan did the same, but Luscombe shot up quickly to force Hodgson to drop the ball.

The respite was only temporary, and when a Dragons scrum collapsed they were penalised and Hodgson slammed the kick over from 45 yards.

The Dragons played some neat rugby for a while without ever threatening, and Sale suddenly stepped up a gear when Schofield won a line-out and Chabal took the ball at the front and stormed down the touchline and went straight through the forlorn Thomas and over for a try, which Hodgson converted.

Robinson raced down the same flank, and when the Dragons were caught offside Hodgson slotted another penalty for a 13-0 lead after just 15 minutes. But the Dragons battled back and Baber caused problems from a quickly taken tap penalty.

Then the Dragons rocked Sale with a super try. Ringer won a line-out and Sidoli, Robinson and Breeze all went close as the Dragons attacked with purpose before the ball was moved wide and Fussell made it to the corner. Sweeney's conversion attempt from the touchline struck an upright.

But Sale soon got back on track with their second try. Lund was held up over the line, and after the Dragons wheeled one scrum Sale robbed them at the next and Hodgson quickly transferred to Cueto, who stood Thomas up with ease to cross for his first try since the game at Rodney Parade in late October.

The Dragons' problems continued as Sweeney kicked aimlessly straight into touch and Baber was penalised harshly for the second time by ridiculously fussy referee Rob Dickson for delaying the put-in when his forwards were already going back.

Robinson and Cueto combined down the left touchline, but were denied possession by Griffiths who took their ball as well as winning his own, but Sweeney this time kicked dead and the possession was wasted. Tuipulotu nearly gave away his customary try when he had a kick charged down, and the ball just rolled into touch.

But a half-time deficit of 18-5 wasn't a bad effort from the Dragons, considering they had been under the cosh for much of the time.

It took Sale just one minute and ten seconds to open their account in the second half with a dazzling try.

Robinson weaved his magic with typically tricky running and handed on to Hodgson, who made more ground before sending Cueto streaking down the touchline and around behind the posts for Hodgson to convert. But the Dragons hit back and Luscombe made a good break, Owen twice ran strongly and Fussell went close but Hall knocked on badly.

They persisted and Luscombe again ran strongly, with the supporting Ringer going close before first-choice trio Black, Thomas and Gough were sent on to bolster the front five, but within a minute Thomas spoilt a good position by slinging a punch.

But Tuipulotu made amends for that and for his earlier mistake when he handed off Hodgson with ease and crashed over for a try after Sidoli had won a line-out. But Sweeney missed the comfortable conversion attempt.

However, Hodgson got his revenge when he burst outside the Tongan and over the line to secure Sale their bonus-point fourth try after 57 minutes.

The game went off the boil after that, both sides using their replacements, Sale content with their bonus and the Dragons unable to break through again despite strenuous late efforts.

Sale: D Larrechea, M Cueto, M Taylor, E Sevealai'i (O Ripol 75), J Robinson (captain), C Hodgson (C Mayor 73), R Wigglesworth (B Foden 62), A Sheridan, S Bruno (A Titterrell 62), B Coutts (B Stewart 58), C Jones (C Day 58), D Schofield, N Bonner-Evans, S Chabal, M Lund.

Scorers - tries: S Chabal, M Cueto (2), C Hodgson; conversions: C Hodgson (2); penalties: Hodgson (2).

Newport Gwent Dragons: A Thomas, R Fussell, H Luscombe (J Bryant 65), S Tuipulotu, B Breeze, C Sweeney, G Baber, D Maddocks (A Black 51), S Jones, G Robinson (R Thomas 51), B Griffiths (I Gough 51), P Sidoli, A Hall (R Oakley 65), M Owen (captain), J Ringer.

Scorers: tries: R Fussell, S Tuipulotu.

Referee: Mr R Dickson (Scotland).

Attendance: 8,481.