Toulouse inflict Sale’s record loss to avoid shock exit

Pool 1 of the Investec Champions Cup

Toulouse (28) 77

Cons: Ramos 11; Delibes, Delibes, Lebel 2, Marchand, Dupont, Gourgues, Delibes, Lebel 2, Graou, Graou, Brennan; Tries:

Sale (0) 7

Toulouse, who scored 11 tries and embarrassed Sale Sharks, eluded a shocking Investec Champions Cup exit.

A 70-point victory at Stade Toulousain comfortably eclipsed Sale’s previous best-ever defeat, a 58-8 defeat by Wasps in 2000.

The six-time winners would have been eliminated if Alex Sanderson’s side had won. They had already qualified.

The Top 14 leaders scored three tries within the first 30 minutes, but that never seemed likely.

The bonus-point try was scored by Kalvin Gourgues and was scored by Emmanuel Meafou, Julien Marchand, and Antoine Dupont.

The back-three players Dimitri Delibes, Matthis Lebel, and Thomas Ramos each added second-half goals.

Dupont scored a second try after Paul Graou’s substitution, with Joshua Brennan and Lebel’s third try coming in.

Ramos, a dead-eye goalie, impressively completed all 11 of Ramos’ conversions.

Given the unremarkable quality of Toulouse’s attacking display, Sale paid the price for resting their star players, including England’s George Ford and Tom Curry, even though they might not have had much of an impact.

The Prem side’s starting lineup will look significantly different for the knockouts, and Toulouse, who have previously been defeated by Glasgow and Saracens, should be reminded not to rule them out before the crucial moment, when they are playing.

If Saracens are defeated by the Warriors on Sunday, Toulouse will finish second in the pool and earn a home last-16 game.

Toulouse dropped out of the last-16 qualifying spots following Durban Sharks’ earlier victory over Clermont Auvergne on Saturday.

The Top 14 leaders were placed in a strange position after being defeated by the Glasgow Warriors and Saracens.

Toulouse’s play was not altered by the must-win game, as they effectively broke open a mediocre Sale side with relative ease.

Dupont started and completed a free-flowing attack following two close-range tries, which the hosts’ game had missed due to the challenging playing conditions in London last weekend.

Before half-time, a sharp finish from center Gourgues gave the 2024 champions a 21-point lead over Glasgow, so it was obvious nothing would be taken for granted.

Delibes’ try capitalized on two Sale yellow cards before Lebel intercepted it for the sixth try.

Replacements: Thomas, Mauvaka, Neti, Mallez, Brennan, Roumat, Cros, Graou, and Neti.

Sale: Davies, Ene, Ma’asi-White, Louw (capt), Wills, Curtis, Rodd, Jibulu, Harper, Burrow, Andrews, Gilmore, Woodman, Dugdale, and others.

Referees’ assistants: Padraic Reidy and Peter Martin (Ire).