Investec Champions Cup Pool 1
Toulouse (28) 77
Tries: Meafou, Marchand, Dupont 2, Gourgues, Delibes, Lebel 2, Ramos, Graou, Brennan Cons: Ramos 11
Sale (0) 7
Try: Curtis Con: Curtis
Toulouse avoided a shock Investec Champions Cup exit by scoring 11 tries and inflicting Sale Sharks’ record defeat.
A 70-point winning margin at Stade Toulousain comfortably surpassed Sale’s previous record loss – a 58-8 defeat by Wasps in 2000.
Victory for Alex Sanderson’s side, who had already qualified, would have knocked the six-time winners out.
That never looked likely as the Top 14 leaders scored three tries inside the opening 30 minutes.
Emmanuel Meafou, Julien Marchand and Antoine Dupont all crossed, with Kalvin Gourgues adding the bonus-point try.
Back-three players Dimitri Delibes, Matthis Lebel and Thomas Ramos all added second-half scores.
Dupont crossed for a second try after replacement Paul Graou dived over, with Joshua Brennan and another from Lebel completing the scoring.
Dead-eye goalkicker Ramos impressively nailed all 11 conversions.
If Saracens are beaten by Glasgow Warriors on Sunday, Toulouse will finish second in the pool and receive a home last-16 match.
Sale, who scored one try through Tom Curtis, have dropped out of a home last-16 spot and will also want a positive Glasgow result in order to receive a higher knockout seeding.
Following Durban Sharks’ win over Clermont Auvergne earlier on Saturday, Toulouse dropped outside the last-16 qualification spots.
Away defeats by Glasgow Warriors and Saracens left the Top 14 leaders in an unfamiliar position.
The must-win game did not change how Toulouse played, as they cut open a much-changed Sale side with relative ease.
After two tries from close range, Dupont started and finished a free-flowing attack – an aspect of the hosts’ game that was missing in the difficult conditions in London last weekend.
A sharp finish from centre Gourgues secured the bonus point before half-time, but given that the 2024 champions lost a 21-point lead against Glasgow, it was clear nothing would be taken for granted.
Delibes’ try took advantage of two Sale yellow cards, before Lebel picked off an intercept to grab the sixth try.
Outstanding offloading and slick handling in the final quarter saw Toulouse back to their very best, with Dupont and Lebel’s second tries starting from well inside their own half.
Sale rested their frontline stars, including England’s George Ford and Tom Curry, who may not have made much of a difference.
Judging the Prem side is difficult as their starting XV will look vastly different for the knockouts, while Toulouse reminded everyone not to rule them out before the stage that really matters.
Toulouse: Ramos; Delibes, Gourgues, Chocobares, Lebel; Kinghorn, Dupont (capt); Baille, Marchand, Aldegheri, Flament, Meafou, Banos, Willis, Jelonch.
Replacements: Mauvaka, Neti, Mallez, Brennan, Roumat, Cros, Graou, Thomas.
Sale: Davies; Ene, Ma’asi-White, Louw (capt), Wills; Curtis, Warr; Rodd, Jibulu, Harper, Burrow, Andrews, Gilmore, Woodman, Dugdale.
Replacements: Caine, McIntyre, Bell, Hogg, Logan, Hanson, Bedlow, Grace.
Referee: Andrew Brace (Ire)
Assistant referees: Peter Martin (Ire), Padraic Reidy (Ire)
TMO: Olly Hodges (Ire)
