Biarritz salvaged French pride in the Heineken Cup when they beat Sale 11-6 to reach the semi-finals for the third successive season.

However, Biarritz did not have to be anything near their best to come through and set up a clash with Bath, who beat Leicester 15-12 yesterday, at the same Estadio Anoeta stadium.

The eagerly-awaited meeting of French champions and English league leaders in the Spanish city of San Sebastian was a huge anti-climax after the dramas of the other three quarter-finals when holders Toulouse and Perpignan went out at the hands of Leinster and Munster.

There was only one try - for Biarritz's Fijian winger Sereli Bobo - no scoring in the second half until the final five minutes and, despite the importance of the game, precious little drama.

The semi-finals will be played on the weekend of April 22nd / 23rd with the final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on May 20th.